The Lion King : Prince of the Pride
by yeti1995
Summary: A stampede. It destroyed him. But he found something. A new pride. A new life. But can Simba live with himself? Join Simba, Nala and other characters, in a much, much darker version of The Lion King, as they fight their own battles in different parts of the savannah. Can Nala live with the torture? Will Simba face his past? Or will he forever remain a shadow of his former self?
1. Chapter 1 - A Runaway Prince

**Author's note: Hi people! So, how are you guys doing? Anyway, this is my first big story. I've been meaning to do one for a while now, and I finally got an idea. This story follows the basic plot of The Lion King, but there is a major difference. Everything remains the same till after the stampede...I won't give too much away now, you'll have to wait and see how this story unfolds. All I can say is that Timon and Pumba won't be a part of my story. I'll try to keep it interesting, it will be much darker than the original, I love cliffhangers, and they will frustrate you sometimes. But don't worry. I'm not giving up on this story. And I may be a little too descriptive, so forgive me for that. I just can't help myself sometimes. And I like Nala a lot as a character, so she will be featuring a lot in my story. I am a little new, so give me all the advice you can in a REVIEW! I really hope you read and enjoy my story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the events of The Lion King. I also do not own Mufasa, Sarabi, Simba, Nala, Scar, Tojo, Tama, Chumvi, Kula, Mheetu or Sarafina.**

**Anyway, enough chit-chat. On with the story!**

* * *

Chapter 1: A Runaway Prince.

He ran. He ran for his life. His thoughts were a mess. He knew what he had done, and the thought made him suicidal. But he didn't want to die this way. He could feel the hyenas snapping at his paws. "What will your mother think?" His uncle's words had pierced through his heart. He could never go back. They would throw him out. Or worse, they would kill him. He knew he had committed the worst crime of all.

_Murder._

But at the moment, he couldn't afford to think about it. He raced through the gorge, at a speed he didn't know he was capable of. He squeezed through holes, jumped in and out of tiny caves, and climbed walls of hardened rock. He tried everything, and yet, every time he looked back, _there they were_. He finally made his way to a sheer cliff.

He knew that there was only one option.

He jumped to what he thought was his death. He closed his eyes, waiting for his destiny. Instead, he found that he had landed in something. Something painful. He looked around, and realized that he was alive. And for the first time since the stampede, he felt grateful. The hyenas, foolish as they were, jumped in after him.

"Oww!"

Simba heard the painful yelps behind him, but he himself was too hurt to care. On another day, he would have found the hyenas' antics amusing. But today was different. Today, Simba had lost the one person who had always been there for him. And to make matters worse, _he knew it was his fault._

"If you ever come back, we'll kill ya'!"

The voice carried through the barren desert. Simba already knew that his fate was sealed. His head was reeling. He wanted to keep running. He wanted to be as far away from his home as possible.

And then, it all sank in.

He would never stand on top of Pride Rock again. He was no longer a prince. He would never see his mother again. He would never see Nala again. But he had no choice. They would hate him if he went back.

_'It is better to die a hero than to live long enough to see yourself become the villain,'_ Simba thought.

Simba ran through the day. He ran till the sun began to set. He ran till he could run no more. He knew he would become buzzard food in a matter of minutes. He walked for a few more minutes, and stopped. He felt something soft under his paws.

Grass.

Simba looked around to see a place he had never seen before. There was grass everywhere he looked, and animals of all shapes and sizes were dancing around in the bushes. It was almost as beautiful as the Pridelands. Almost. Simba's heart gave a tight squeeze when he thought of his home. He thought he heard voices nearby, but he didn't care. Gathering all the energy he had left, he dragged himself to a nearby tree, and drifted off into one last memory.

_"Simba! It's time for your bath!"_

_"Mom! It's no use! I'll get dirty again anyway!"_

_Simba groaned as his mother picked him up by the scruff of his neck and laid him down in her paws._

_"Okay Simba. Let's make a deal. If you let me give you a bath, I'll tell you a story. Deal?"_

_Simba tilted his head and thought for a while._

_"Deal."_

_After what seemed like an eternity, Simba finally finished his bath._

_"Mom! You promised!"_

_"Hmmm okay. Now let's see." Sarabi thought for a while. "All right then. I'll tell you the story of the brave princess Uru."_

_Simba stared up at her expectantly. "Uru was a naughty cub, much like you. She always used to run around playing with her friends. Everything was fine, until one day, when something tragic happened. Uru's mother, the queen, met with a hunting accident, and she passed on and joined the great kings and queens of the past."_

_"And then what happened?"_

_"Uru was distraught. She cried herself to sleep many nights. All she wanted was to see her mother again. She wanted to be with her mother again. She didn't step out of the cave for weeks. But then she came across a rogue. His name was Ahadi. When she got to know him, she realized that he had watched both his parents die with his own eyes."_

_Simba's mouth was agape. He couldn't ever imagine what it would be like to watch his own parents die._

_"The princess then realized that she was still lucky enough to have her father and her pride. She swore to be the great queen that her mother was. And from that day, Uru wasn't sad anymore. She was happy that her mother would take care of her and watch over her from the stars."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes. You see Simba, sometimes, in life, you may not get what you really want. I may not be here for you all the time, Simba. And when things are going wrong, I want you to look around you, and thank the great kings for what you have. Understand, Simba?"_

_Simba smiled. "Yes, mom. Wherever you are, you'll always love me, right mom?"_

_"Of course, sweetheart." Sarabi cooed. "You are my heart, Simba. You are my Kopa…."_

* * *

Under the setting sun, an adolescent lion and his best friend ran through the plains, having the time of their lives. "You'll never catch up, Tama!" The lion snickered and raced ahead towards their favourite tree. He knew he was faster than her. But suddenly, the lion found himself in mid-air and landed with a thud. Tama raced past him. "You snooze, you lose, Tojo! I did it! I finally won!" By now, Tama was rolling on the ground, unable to contain her laughter. She finally managed to look up to Tojo, expecting him to resort to his usual sarcasm. But what she saw instead was a serious expression on his face. She followed his sight and finally found what Tojo was staring at.

There, hidden in the grass, curled up in a ball, lay a lion cub.

"Wha.. Who… Who in the world is that?" The words barely escaped Tama's mouth. The Grassland Pride was famous for taking in rogue lions and sheltering them, but this was an entirely different situation. He was only a cub. "Is it alive?" asked Tama.

"Barely. What do we do, Tam?"

"I don't know, Tojo. You're the prince around here, aren't you?"

Tojo raised an eyebrow and looked at her skeptically before picking the cub up by the scruff of his neck. "I think it's better we tell my father about this. Knowing him, our pride will probably have a new member." Tama nodded knowingly. King Bahati was very generous. A bit too generous at times.

The two teenagers took the unconscious cub to a nearby waterhole. "Turn him over, Tama." Tama did as she was told and Tojo splashed water on the cub's face. Tama ended up drenched.

"Was that really necessary, Tojo!" Tojo only grinned, his blue eyes sparkling, and Tama pounced on him, as they rolled into the waterhole, laughing all the while.

Simba opened his eyes slowly. His vision was still hazy as he tried to get up, but he felt an unbearable pain shoot up his back. He heard laughter nearby, and it confused him. "Where.. am I?" he muttered, to no one in particular.

"Hey , look Tojo, the kid's up!" said Tama, before a wave of water crashed into her. "Tojo! You're the prince! You have more important things to do than splash me all day!" Tojo smiled at his friend and climbed out of the waterhole.

Simba was terrified. He did not expect this at all. Standing in front of him, was an adolescent lion, with a half-grown brown mane, and golden fur, like his own. All of a sudden, a young lioness leaped out of the waterhole, and onto the lion. Simba jumped out of his fur, and tried to scream, but all that came out of his mouth was a tired moan.

"Cut it out, Tama! You're scaring the little guy!" said Tojo. Tama giggled and walked towards Simba. She nudged him on the side.

"Hey there! What's your name? Where are you from? Where are your parents? How did you get here?" Simba merely blinked. Tama was jumping around in excitement. She loved cubs!

"Oh, Tama," Tojo let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "Give him a little space!"

Tojo slowly approached Simba. "Hey there, buddy. I'm Tojo. And this goofball here is Tama." Tama rolled her eyes.

"So, what's your name?"

Simba did not know how to answer this question. What if Tojo recognized the name? What if they took him back to the Pridelands? He knew he couldn't go back. He was the exiled prince. Simba knew that he couldn't let anyone know his real name. Only one name came to his mind.

"Kopa… My name is Kopa."

* * *

**Author's note: So, how did you like my very first chapter? Poor Simba, eh? For all you Timon and Pumba lovers.. well, I'm sorry. Simba joining another pride seemed much more interesting to me. And I know Kopa is Simba's son, but I couldn't think of a more perfect fake name for Simba, so, sorry again, I guess.. I'm a Kopa fan too, but I had an idea and I just went with it. If you have any problem, let me know in the review. I'm pretty sure you guys know which movie one of the lines is from. And yes, I know Tama and Tojo are supposed to be Simba's age, but I thought I'd make them older. I'll probably update once every two weeks. If I can do better than that, I will! My story is going to be really long, I have a lot of (hopefully) interesting ideas for this story :D.. And your feedback matters a lot to me, so PLEASE REVIEW MY STORY! The next chapter will probably be up on the 3****rd**** of May. (Sorry, I need to write my exams too, you know :P)**


	2. Chapter 2 - Heartbreak

**Author's note: So here's the second chapter.. As promised! 3****rd**** May… Sorry for the long wait, though. Those of you who've read this story before might've noticed that I've changed the name of my story.. I guess I like this one better! And to those of you who didn't notice or didn't read my last author's note, Timon and Pumba are NOT a part of my story.. My story is a bit too dark for them.. Oh and one more thing, I'm trying really hard to keep all the personalities of my characters exactly the same.. So please tell me if you notice something off.. And please review!**

** Before I start, I'd like to thank T5Tango, Chu10 and KaltheBrave for their reviews.. You guys really lifted my spirits! Thank you! XD. Okay now, go ahead and read!**

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Chapter 2: Heartbreak.

She shut her eyes as hard as she could. The tears were flowing freely now. She tried to shut out all the cackling around her. The foul stench of hyena was unmistakable. And yet, Nala tried desperately to hold on to anything that was left of her best friend. Just the previous day, he had saved her life. She knew, from that moment on, that he was a lot more to her than just a friend. But she was too scared to admit it. And now, she wished she had told him everything, because all that was left of him now was a memory.

* * *

_Nala felt exhausted. She felt her __mother's arms around her, and it gave her a sense of comfort. She needed it at the _m_oment. The hyenas had scared the crap out of her. Now, all she wanted to do was sleep. No one would dare to disturb her._

_ "Nala, wake up!" She felt someone nudge her side._

_ "Five more minutes, Mom," she said with an exasperated sigh. She rolled over and started to snore. _

_She heard someone chuckle. She was very confused. It's not every day that someone wakes you up in the middle of the night, and starts laughing at you, is it?_

_"It's me silly! Now wake up. I have something to show you."_

_Nala woke up and opened her eyes groggily. She saw a golden cub standing before her._

_"Simba! It's the middle of the night! This can wait till tomorrow!"_

_"No it can't." _

_"Yes it can."_

_"No it can't." _

_"Yes. It. Can."_

_"No. It. Can't!" _

_"Simba!"_

_"I can do this all night!"_

_"Yeah. Sure."_

_"Oh yeah? Try me.."_

_"Simba. Please!" She looked at Simba with the cutest, most innocent eyes she could make, but for a change, that didn't work either._

_"C'mon Nala! You have to see this!"_

_"Oh, all right. Let's get this over with!" she said, a bit more grumpily than she had intended. She carefully slipped out of her mother's grasp, and walked alongside her best friend, her eyes still half-closed. She was in no mood for jokes._

_ "It had better not be one of your pranks, Simba!"_

_"And what if it is, Nal?"_

_"Then I'll kick you over the edge."_

_"Yeah right." Simba opened his mouth to say something, but the look Nala gave him shut him up instantly. "Okay, okay, calm down, Nal. I just wanted to show you something." Simba was smiling, but she could clearly see the guilt and hurt in his eyes. She knew him all too well. He was her best friend, but she knew that he was something special. His happy façade would fool everyone all the time, but she was the only one who could see through it all._

_ They reached the edge of Pride Rock. "Look, Nala." Simba smiled at her, but she was too awed by the beauty in front of her to notice. The stars were twinkling in the night sky, and the full moon was casting a glow on the Pridelands that Nala had never seen before._

_"Simba, I.. I don't know what to say, I… Wow…" Simba stifled a giggle at his friend's reaction. "There's more, Nala. You see those stars up there?"_

_"Yeah. What about 'em?"_

_"It is said that all the great kings go up there. And they're looking down on us and taking care of us right now."_

_"They are?" Nala just stood frozen, mouth agape and eyes wide in awe. She had never thought of it that way before._

_"Yeah. And whenever you feel lonely or scared, you're supposed to look to them for support, and they'll help you."_

_"Really? How do you know all this, Simba?" Nala was even more confused. When did her cute, cocky friend become so wise?_

_"My dad told me about it today." Ah, that explains it. "He said that it was knowledge that was passed down by the great kings for generations."_

_"Then why did you tell me about it, Simba? I'm not even related to you, am I?"_

_"No, but you're my best friend! I won't ever keep anything from you." Nala felt the heat rising up in her cheeks. Did he really care that much about her? Nah, of course he didn't. He was just being nice, like he always is. Nala felt her face heat up and knew she had to change the topic._

_"So, what about the other lions? Do they go up there too?" Nala was sure that Simba was going to be a great king. But the thought of losing him was too much to bear. She always wanted to be there for him, even in the stars. At least as a friend._

_"I don't know, Nal. Maybe they go up there too," he said half-heartedly, and looked away. The moment she looked into his eyes, it was clear to Nala that there was something else on his mind. Something that was hurting him._

_"What's wrong, Simba?"_

_Simba choked back a sob. It hurt Nala to see Simba cry, but she had to see it often, because she was the one he always came to with his problems. He did trust her with his life, after all._

_"I'm sorry Nal. I really am." Nala tilted her head and stared at her best friend. It was turning out to be a very confusing night._

_"I almost got you killed. I never meant to put you in danger, Nala." Tears were streaming down his cheeks now. "My mom always says that sometimes, you don't know how much someone means to you till you realize that you're never going to see them again. You mean a lot to me, Nala. I promise I won't let anything happen to you ever again."_

_Nala knew she had to do something. Only one thing came to her mind._

_She hugged him. She felt him nuzzle her and cry into her shoulder._

_Simba heard a soothing whisper in his ear. "Simba, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you cared about me enough to save me. You risked your life to save me, Simba. I owe my life to you for that. You're my best friend. Nothing's ever going to change that."_

_ Simba couldn't help but smile. He had no idea how she would do it, but she always made him feel better. He knew how he felt about her, too. He had known for a long time. But he knew he couldn't tell her. Their friendship was too precious for that. "Nala?"_

_"Yes, Simba?" _

_"We'll always be best friends right?"_

_"Of course, Simba. I'll always be there for you."_

_Simba smiled. But what happened next was completely unexpected. He licked her cheek. _

_Nala couldn't believe her luck. Maybe he did like her. Maybe he had liked her all along. She couldn't think of a more perfect time to tell him._

_"Simba, there is something I've been meaning to tell you."_

_"What is it, Nal?"_

_"I.." Suddenly she found herself hesitating. Her mother had also told her about the friendly licks. What if this had been one of them? She didn't want to lose her best friend. Ever._

_Nala knew what she had to do. She quickly faked a yawn._

_"Never mind, Simba. I'll tell you some day."_

_Simba himself yawned and Nala gave a sigh of relief._

_"Promise, Nal?"_

_"Promise."_

* * *

The tears were flowing freely now. Their sweet, little promise had already been broken in the most horrifying way imaginable. She looked up to the stars, wondering if her best friend was taking care of her. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Nala?" She looked up to see her friends, Chumvi and Kula, standing before her with confused expressions on their faces. Clearly, they had just arrived at the scene and had absolutely no idea what was going on. "What's going on?"

"He's…. he's.." She couldn't bring herself to say it, but she knew she had to come to terms with the fact that she was never going to see her best friend again. "He's gone!", she choked out, before she burst into tears. Kula knew who she was talking about. There was only one person Nala _always _talked about. She knew how close Nala was to Simba, and the news came as a genuine shock to her. Kula felt Chumvi nuzzle her and lick her cheek. She turned to him and saw that there were tears in his eyes too. They had lost one of their most precious friends.

Nala looked over to her pride sisters and she knew that none of them was feeling the sorrow that she felt.

Except one.

Sarabi wasn't crying. She didn't move. She didn't blink. Her normally joyous eyes were completely devoid of life. It took only a minute for it to sink in. She had lost everything. She would never see her prince and her king again. Sarafina's attempts to console her were completely useless. All that Sarabi could do was stare into space. She had lost the will to fight.

And then, she heard the cackling.

It was faint at first, but then, it turned into a deafening chorus, as dark figures emerged from the shadows, seemingly thrilled at the shocked expressions of the distraught lionesses.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sarabi found her voice.

"How dare you!" Her voice was barely a whisper, but everybody heard the furious queen. "Mufasa would never allow this!"

Scar simply waved his paw. "Ah Sarabi, you must understand that I am truly sorry for your loss. But look around you, Sarabi. Do you see your dear king anywhere?"

For a split second, Sarabi flew into an unexplainable rage. She raced towards Scar with murderous intent. But she didn't get far. From out of nowhere, scores of hyenas intercepted her, throwing her off her path. She swiped at them, claws unsheathed, killing one of them instantly. But as more of them emerged out of the darkness, Sarabi knew she didn't stand a chance, and her common sense caught up to her. She quickly stepped back toward her pride, and the lionesses formed a protective ring around her.

Scar's expression gave nothing away. But his decision shook his pride to the core.

"Sarabi, I'm sure you know that what you did was completely uncalled for. You unnecessarily attacked and killed a deserving member of the Pridelands. I'm sure you know this calls for punishment." An evil smile crept onto his face. "I appoint you, Sarabi, as leader of the hunting party. All the lionesses are to hunt thrice a day, and bring food back to me. The leftovers will be given to the hyenas. And as punishment for what you did today, your pride will eat only after the hyenas have had their fill." The hyenas squealed in delight as the lionesses' eyes widened in utter dismay.

"Why are you doing this to us, Scar!" Sarafina, hot-headed as she was, was the first to react, and moved forward threateningly. It took all of Sarabi's strength to hold her furious friend back. Scar simply walked up to the promontory and roared. The hyenas shouted in glee.

But not one lioness roared with him.

Sarabi knew that this wasn't right. And that was when she made her decision. She would make sure that Mufasa would live on, through her. She would be strong, for his sake. She would keep their love alive, no matter what. Sarabi knew that her pride still saw her as the one true queen. She would guide them through this time of misery. She knew that she had to stay strong for them, irrespective of her grief.

But what Scar said next, chilled her to the bone.

"It is my wish to remain the only dominant lion in this pride. In many prides today, it is rather unfortunate that the risk of rebellion is much too high. Such a rebellion would only hinder the progress of this pride and destroy its unity. Therefore, as king, it is my decision that the only male cubs that will be allowed to live in this pride, will be my cubs." Scar gave a dramatic pause to let his words sink in. The silence was nerve-wracking.

"Say your final goodbyes. The hyenas shall patrol the borders tonight. No one is allowed to enter or to leave my lands tonight." A devious smile crept onto the dark lion's face.

"Tomorrow, all the male cubs shall be killed."

* * *

**Author's note: So, how was this chapter? A little too heart-breaking? Well, The Lion King is full of heartbreaks anyway! I'll try and update as soon as I can. There's a lot more to come so PLEASE REVIEW MY STORY! I warned you before. I love cliffhangers! And yes, I know I'm not exactly brilliant at writing the romantic stuff, and I know I didn't mention it in the genres, but romance is an essential part of my story and I will give it my best shot! How did you like the Simba-Nala conversation here? Let me know in your review. The next chapter is pretty dark, by the way.. I will be able to update much quicker now, so it will be up on the 7****th**** of May :).. So see ya' then!**


	3. Chapter 3 - A Price to Pay

**Author's note: Hello again.. 7 reviews? :O Great to know! I love you guys! :D This chapter isn't the happiest thing you'll read.. Neither is my story.. **

**lewlion, ElfstoneEvenstar and Erevu03: Welcome to my story! I'm really glad to know you guys like it so far. I'll be sure to read your stories too as soon as I can.. :) **

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Chapter 3: A Price to Pay.

"We can't let this happen! I won't let these hyenas tear my family apart again!" Nafsi was in hysterics. The new monarch was firm in his decision. Her cub was male. She knew Scar would be ruthless and unforgiving. She could not think of a way to save her Chumvi. The hyenas would kill him for sure.

"Calm down, Nafsi. We'll find a way to make Scar change his mind." Despite her loss, Sarabi knew she had to keep her calm in a moment like this. Her pride was in sheer panic.

"I know a way," a voice at the back said.

Sarabi slowly approached a crying Sarafina, who whispered something in her ear. Sarabi's eyes widened.

"You don't have to do this, Fina. We'll find another way," Sarabi said in a hushed tone.

"Sarabi, I know him. Or at least, I used to." A single tear rolled down Sarafina's cheek. "This is the only way out. I won't let more of our pride die."

Sarabi sighed. Barely a day had passed since Scar had ascended the throne, and the pride was already in misery. She knew what Sarafina had to do, and she didn't like it. _Not one bit._

Sarafina slowly walked up to Scar's cave, gathering every piece of courage she had. She knew she could persuade him, but it was a heavy price to pay. She was mourning, not only for the loss of the prince and the king, but also for the loss of her best friend. She had always hoped that Taka would return, but she knew he was gone for good now.

* * *

_A young lioness raced across the Pridelands. She had been away for a long time, and she knew she owed everyone an apology for being away for so long. Sarafina had met the love of her life on her adventure, and she knew that Mufasa was kind enough to accept him as a member of the pride. She was bubbling with uncontainable excitement. Her mate, Ni, had specifically told her not to run, but she knew that she was only in the first month of her pregnancy, so it didn't matter much. Yes! She was pregnant! She was going to have a cub with the lion she loved. She couldn't be happier._

_Sarafina ran to the home of her best friend, Taka. Ever since King Ahadi had ruthlessly, and rather carelessly, slashed him across the face, Prince Taka had gone into his own shell. He had insisted on being called Scar, and had refused to tolerate any form of company. But Sarafina was the only one who was allowed to call him Taka, for she had been there for him, to comfort him, when he needed her the most. Scar would always be her best friend, Taka._

_Scar saw her approaching and pulled her into a warm embrace. He knew he loved her. He had known for a long time. She was the only light in his otherwise dull and miserable life. He was just waiting for the right time to tell her. He was confident she felt the same way. Why else would she be the only one to spend time with him?_

_"Sarafina! It's great to see you! We thought something happened to you!"_

_Sarafina giggled. "Well, something did. Taka, you're my best friend. So I want you to know first!" She was beaming with excitement. _

_"Well, go on." Scar smiled._

_"I'm going to be a mother, Taka!"_

_"What?" He was sure he was hearing things._

_"I'm pregnant."_

_Scar was hurt. Very hurt. He didn't notice Sarafina jumping around him in ecstasy. He could feel his heart breaking into a million pieces. He didn't want to believe it. A sudden rage took over him as he thought of another possibility._

_"Who did this?" He seethed._

_"What?" Sarafina finally noticed the look on Scar's face, and tilted her head in confusion._

_"Who did this to you, Sarafina!" Scar's voice was rising and there was pure, fiery hate in his vibrant, green eyes._

_"Taka, what are you trying to say?"_

_"Do you really think I'm going to let some random rogue have his way with you and get away with it?" _

_Sarafina was shocked and offended. This was the last thing she had expected. She thought her friend would be happy for her. She needed to set him right._

_"Taka, you don't understand. His name is Ni." A small smile formed on her face as she thought of her mate. "I met him just after I left home. We started travelling together, and…. well.. we realized we were made for each other. We gave it a shot and it worked out. So we got married. And here I am!"_

_"You're…. you're.. married?" Scar felt betrayed. He was used to pain, but this was something else. This was something he wasn't expecting. Sarafina was married. And she seemed happy about it. Scar felt his whole world collapse around him, and when he finally found his voice, it wasn't very pleasant._

_"How could you!" He roared in her face._

_"What are you talking about now, Taka?" Sarafina was more confused than ever._

_"I loved you, Sarafina! I loved you all along!" Sarafina's mouth widened in shock. She couldn't believe it._

_"You.. you betrayed me!" Scar was absolutely livid._

_"No Taka, it's not like that. I always saw you as a friend, Taka." Sarafina felt tears in her eyes as she realized what was happening. She was losing her best friend. "I still care about you, Taka."_

_"No.. No, you never did. Oh no no no.. You're just like Mufasa and the others. You just pretended that you cared! You spent time with me only because you had to! Everything was a lie!" All his love for the lioness in front of him had disappeared, and was replaced by burning hatred._

_"Taka please –"_

_He roared and struck her across the face. Sarafina felt the blood oozing out of her cheek. But she still didn't give up hope._

_"Taka, wait!" she wailed._

_"My name is Scar!" From that moment on, Sarafina knew that her best friend was no more. As she watched Scar's figure retreat into the distance, she felt all her happiness disappear._

_After hours of sobbing, Sarafina made her way back to her mate. She needed comfort, and no one knew her like Ni did. She smiled as she thought of her mate and her cub, and broke into a sprint. She finally reached the border, where her mate was waiting for her._

_Her smile vanished._

_She saw her mate, bloodied and bruised, being attacked by a huge pack of hyenas. He had managed to fend some of them off, and was fighting furiously, but he stood no chance. Sarafina raced into the frenzy and clawed and slashed at the hyenas, but they managed to keep her from reaching her mate. She watched her mate being ripped apart mercilessly. She cried out in fury and threw a hyena off her, slaying the creature on the spot. But then she saw something that would haunt her for many nights to come. _

_One of the hyenas, the matriarch, she presumed, tore into Ni's neck. Sarafina bolted towards the hyena, hot tears falling freely from her eyes, but she was intercepted by a number of other hyenas. Satisfied that the large lion was dead, Shenzi took off with the rest of her pack. But Sarafina got a good look at the matriarch. __**She would not forget that face. Ever.**_

_Sarafina silently walked towards her deceased mate, and cried into his fur. She painfully realized that she had now become a widowed mother. Her life had turned from blissful to utterly tragic in a matter of mere minutes. She had no choice now. She had to go back to her pride. She did not know whether she could bring herself to explain what had happened to her. But she did know one thing._

_She knew who was responsible._

_She had always known what he was capable of. A lump formed in her throat as it became clear to her. But she knew that Mufasa would never believe such a thing. She didn't even have a speck of evidence to prove it, either. She knew that there was a penalty for wrongly accusing the royal family of the Pridelands._

_And for now, she couldn't afford the penalty. She had a priority. She would live for her cub. But she needed a pride. She slowly walked towards Pride Rock, knowing that her cub would be safe there. Her heart ached, for she had lost both her mate and her best friend that day._

* * *

Sarabi was growing increasingly anxious by the minute. She didn't like the idea, but she knew that what Sarafina had said was the truth. Young lives were at stake. Sarabi could hear voices, but she could not make out what they were saying.

Scar finally emerged from the cave, a victorious smile on his face. Right behind him was a downcast, devastated Sarafina. She looked at Sarabi with a smile, but Sarabi saw right through it. Sarabi knew that her friend's idea had worked, but she was not very happy about it.

Scar stood on the edge of Pride Rock. "There has been a small change in plans, my dear pride members. The hyenas will not patrol the borders tonight. Only for tonight, those who wish to leave my lands can feel free to do so. However, any male lion found in my lands after the rise of the sun tomorrow, shall be killed." Eyeing Sarafina greedily, Scar walked into his cave, beckoning for her to follow. Sarafina turned to Sarabi.

"He wants an heir." Sarafina had tears in her eyes. "It might take some time. Maybe a week. Promise me you'll take care of Nala." Sarafina couldn't hold it back anymore. She cried into her friend's shoulder. And at that moment, Sarabi wanted to kill Scar. But she knew she couldn't. There were too many hyenas to fight.

"I promise." Sarabi sighed. "But you still have a choice. You don't have to do this." Sarafina shook her head adamantly. "I can't watch more lions die, Sarabi. If I have to go through this, then I will." Sarabi pulled her friend into an embrace. "I'm so proud of you, Fina." Sarabi's words put a smile on Sarafina's face. As Sarabi watched Sarafina walk into Scar's cave, she knew that it would be a long time before she would see her friend smile again.

Nafsi breathed a sigh of relief. The only other surviving male in the pride would live to see the light of another day. Her son was saved! Sarabi rushed towards her. "Nafsi, we don't have much time! If you leave now, you will be able to reach the border by dawn. You won't be able to survive on your own. Take my sister with you. Go!"

Sarabi turned to her sister. "Sabini, will you be able to hunt for Nafsi? She may not survive on her own.." She said, with pleading eyes.

"Of course! Anything for my little sister!" Sarabi smiled at her sister's enthusiasm.

"I'll go with them too," another lioness, Hasira, volunteered. Sarabi nodded happily, and hugged her sister.

Chumvi slowly walked towards his mother. He knew what was happening, and his head was down. He knew he wasn't going to see his pride in some time. He felt a paw under his chin and looked up. It was his best friend, Kula.

"Listen Chummy, I know that you have to go. But before you go, I wanted to give you this."

She licked him on his muzzle.

"Come back to me, Chumvi. I really like you. I'll miss you."

Chumvi hugged Kula as tight as possible. "Don't worry Kula. I'll come back." He hesitated for a second. "I really like you too, Kula."

She got the message. "I feel the same way, Chumvi." Kula had tears in her eyes. She had never been away from Chumvi before. They had been together, through everything. And now, she didn't know when she would see him again.

"I'll come back to you. Bye." With one last smile, Chumvi walked to his mother, as they walked across the plains.

Nafsi turned back one last time and looked Sarabi in the eye. "I won't abandon my pride. When he is older, we will return."

Sarabi smiled as she saw the three lions disappear into the distance. In all the grave darkness, there was still a glimmer of hope left for her pride. But her heart went out to Sarafina. She looked towards Pride Rock, and hoped that her friend would make it through the night.

* * *

**Author's note: Pretty sad, right? Yes, I'm evil, I know. Sarafina will probably jump out of my laptop and kill me in my sleep one day! Anyway, we haven't seen Simba/Kopa for a while, right? Don't worry, I didn't forget about him. He's my main character! Oh, and by the way, about Nafsi.. She's one of my few important OC's, but please remember the name… She's a very important character. You'll know why later! Hasira's an OC too, but Sabini is from TLK6Na. But the sister thing was my idea .. :P. There is one thing I wanted to know though… I needed to get Kula and Chumvi together in this chapter, but did you feel it was a little rushed? I kinda thought it was.. Anyway, give me some feedback! The next chapter will be up on the 12th of May.**


	4. Chapter 4 - A New Life

**Author's note: Okay, not much happens in this chapter.. It is necessary though.. It's one of the few breaks from the usual heart-wrenching grief! But it's pretty boring.. I promise, the next chapter will be interesting! Things are gonna get heated up pretty quickly… I just needed the introductions out of the way.**

**GuessWho: Hey I didn't expect you to read a lion king fanfic either! Anyway, this was a pleasant surprise.. Thanks for the review :)**

* * *

Chapter 4: A New Life.

"So Kopa," Tojo said, trying to start a conversation with the little cub as they walked towards the kopje of the Grassland Pride. "Where are you from?"

Simba didn't know what to say. He hadn't thought this through. He knew he had to lie. He normally was a very good liar, and could fool anyone with his trademark grin. But this time, it was different. This time, the lie had to be _perfect,_ or he would be in a really messy situation.

"Kid?" Tojo stared at Simba with a confused expression. He had to admit, this kid was weird.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Simba smiled sheepishly. A lie quickly started forming in his head.

"I used to live in jungle." Simba said, as Tojo placed him down to listen to his story.

"The jungle? I haven't heard of lions living in the jungle." Tama said.

"Well, they don't. Not anymore. My home was destroyed in a fire, and my pride died out. I ran away, and I managed to get here." Simba felt a lump form in his throat. He missed his old home.

"What about your parents?" Tojo asked softly, in a reluctant manner. He immediately realized it was a mistake. Simba broke down, and cried his heart out. His story might have been completely fake, but his grief wasn't. He realized that he would never see them ever again. '_And it's my fault' _he thought.

"Oh, you poor dear! Come on. Let's take you to our home." Tama cooed, bending down to nuzzle him.

"You do realize you'll make a great mom, eh Tama?" Tojo muttered, but his face reddened when he realized what he had said, and he looked away. Tama blushed under her fur, but decided to pretend like she hadn't heard anything.

"Do you think your father will let him stay?" asked Tama, though she already knew the answer.

"Of course. But someone will need to take care of him." replied Tojo, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Why can't we look after him? You eat meat, don't you, Kopa?" Simba nodded feebly. He wasn't really used to over-enthusiastic adolescent lionesses fussing over him. Tojo simply had a bewildered expression on his face.

"Think about it, Tojo! We'll have our very own cub!" This time, it was Tama's turn to be embarrassed. It took her only a second to realise what she had said, and she looked away, blushing furiously. Simba rolled his eyes. He had been there only a few minutes, and even he knew that they liked each other more than they were letting on. Why were teenagers so complicated!

"Uhm.. yeah sure. We can look after him, I guess." Tojo was nervous. Tama occasionally used to drop a few hints which suggested that she did like Tojo. But he didn't want to take a chance. He wanted their relationship to be perfect.

Simba stared in awe at the rocky structure before him. The Grassland kopje was a mountain-shaped structure, with a large rock jutting out at one end. A number of caves lined the face of the mountain, and Simba saw a number of pathways leading in and out of most of the caves, giving it a maze-like appearance. '_It's still nothing compared to Pride Rock'_, Simba thought. His heart gave a tight squeeze as he thought of what his life once was. His troubled thoughts were interrupted when he saw a large, ochre-coloured lion, with a light brown mane, emerge from the cave. He had a vibrant smile, and his sparkling eyes gave away that he was a very kind lion.

"Dad!" Tojo ran to his father and nuzzled him. "We have a bit of a situation."

Tama carefully picked up Simba and placed him at the king's paws. "His name is Kopa. He used to live in the jungle, but his pride supposedly died out. He ran all the way here."

The king bent down and looked at Simba. Simba looked back at the king with a worried expression. He didn't know where he would go if he the king refused to let him stay with them.

"Of course he can stay with us!" Simba beamed. "But a few arrangements will have to be made."

"He can stay with me! I wouldn't mind taking care of him. It'll be like having a little brother! I've always wanted one.." suggested Tama. Tama herself was an orphan, and had been taken in by the Grassland Pride at a very young age. The pride had shared the responsibility of looking after her, but to King Bahati, Tama was like the daughter he never had.

"Are you sure it isn't a problem?"

Tama nodded. The Grassland Pride did not face many threats, and their lands had remained peaceful for a long time. This allowed King Bahati to look after his subjects and solve their problems. It was something he loved doing, and it had brought him fame.

"All right. If anyone in this pride can take care of a cub, it's you, Tama." Tama beamed as she escorted Simba to his new den.

"Hmmm…" Bahati mused, deep in thought.

"Dad?" Tojo wasn't used to seeing his father so thoughtful.

"The cub. He looks exactly like an old friend of mine.."

* * *

Tama led Simba to her cave. The atmosphere was a bit awkward, and Simba made no effort to talk to Tama. On several occasions, Tama tried to start a conversation, but Simba was in his own world. _He's hiding something, _Tama thought. _And one day, I am going to find out._

Simba noticed a rather unfriendly group of lionesses at the far side of the kopje. All of them had unpleasant scowls on their faces. "Who are those guys?" Simba asked, feeling slightly more comfortable than he was before.

"Oh, them? Don't worry about them, Kopa." Pointing to the lioness heading the group, Tama continued, "That's Zira and her group. Those lionesses follow her around everywhere. She joined the pride about a year ago. She pretty much took advantage of the king being so nice to her. She doesn't get along with _anyone._"

"She seems pretty mean to me." Simba said, staring at Zira. But he was quick to turn away when she returned the stare.

"Well, she is. You want some advice, kid? Don't get in her way. She's pretty violent. I tried talking to her once. I'm _never_ trying again. They're going away in a few weeks, anyway."

Simba smiled. He liked Tama. She was like the sister he always wanted. He knew he would never be truly happy again. He needed his parents for that. He needed Nala for that. But it felt good to know that he had someone nice to talk to. For the first time that day, Simba felt like talking.

"So, where are they going?"

"The Pridelands," came the nonchalant reply.

Simba's eyes widened. Who was this lioness? He was sure he had never seen her before. But something about her didn't feel right. He was sure that lionesses like these didn't deserve to join his pride. _His old pride,_ Simba thought bitterly.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm not very sure though. There is a rumour though that Zira has some sort of a relationship with a lion there. She goes there and visits him pretty often. She's not here half the time." Tama smiled at the thought of Zira leaving, but Simba was confused. Who was this lion? It couldn't be his father. He was no more. Simba started tearing up, and he quickly suppressed his guilt. There was only one other adult lion in the Pridelands. The current king. His uncle Scar.

"So Zira's going to be a queen?" Simba immediately regretted what he had said. He wasn't supposed to know anything about the Pridelands! Luckily for him, Tama didn't notice anything.

"Yeah, I guess." Simba breathed a barely audible sigh of relief.

"I heard the king and prince there were killed in a stampede. Sad story, really. Our king was really affected by the news."

"Really?" Mufasa had told Simba quite a few stories about his childhood, but he hadn't mentioned any names.

"King Bahati and the king of the Pridelands – well, the deceased king - were friends when they were young." Simba sighed. There was no escaping the grief. He felt like his father was talked about wherever he went.

"Hey, Tama!" A dark-furred lioness cub raced out of a den and rubbed herself against Tama's foreleg. "Hi, Wivu. This is Kopa." Wivu turned to Kopa and gave him her best smile.

"Hey, Kopa!" she said cheerily.

"Uh.. hi!" Simba said, unsure of himself.

"Do you want to go down to the waterhole with me?" Wivu asked, with pleading eyes.

"Not now, Wivu." Tama warned. "It's pretty dark already. You wouldn't want to get lost now, would you?"

"No.." Wivu let out a defeated sigh. "But I'll take you there tomorrow!" Batting her eyelids flirtatiously, Wivu tried to rub against his side, but Simba backed away immediately. For someone he'd just met, this was _way_ too close for comfort. Wivu gave him the best smile she could, before running off to her cave.

Tama grinned. "And that's all you need to know about Wivu. She's a sweet lioness. But she's.. uh.. a bit… uh… outgoing."

Simba merely nodded, not knowing what to think. His first day in the new pride had already been eventful.

* * *

**Author's note: Yes, I know, this wasn't exactly my favourite chapter either… But the next chapter will give you a thing or two to think about.. And yes, Zira belongs to the Grassland Pride in my story. We can't have everything easy for Simba now, can we? :P.. Wivu is an OC, by the way.. I'm planning to put the next chapter up on the 17****th**** of May. See ya' then!**


	5. Chapter 5 - Shocking Revelations

**Author's note: Now, this is an interesting chapter.. I won't bore you with my usual small talk, so go ahead and read. And don't forget to leave a review!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Shocking Revelations.

Sarabi was _very_ worried. It had been more than a week since she had seen Sarafina. Scar's sheer ruthlessness towards members of his own pride, his own kin; made Sarabi _sick_. And to make matters worse, Nala knew that there was something _very_ wrong. Sarabi had told Nala that her mother had taken a vacation, but Nala was nearly nine months old – a bit too mature to fall for Sarabi's story. Sarabi had taken very good care of Nala, and they had grown very close during the week.

"Queen Sarabi?"

'Yes, Nala?" Sarabi smiled. Nala had been only a shadow of her former, naughty, confident self since Simba's death; but she always made it a point to be respectful.

"When's my mother coming back? She's not gone for good, is she?" Nala said, tears forming in her eyes.

Sarabi sighed. "She's going to be with you very soon, Nala. Don't worry. She's not leaving anytime soon." Sarabi smiled. Nala reminded her so much of her little prince. Tears threatened to fall, but Sarabi quickly pushed them back. She needed to be strong. For her pride.

But she didn't know how much Sarafina could take. Scar was clearly ruthless. Sarabi knew that she had to do something. She couldn't let Scar have his way so effortlessly. She made up her mind to talk to him the next day. As she felt Nala snuggle up close to her, she drifted off into an uncomfortable sleep.

* * *

In the middle of the night, the former queen suddenly shot up, her ears perked. No one else had heard it. It was very faint, and only the sharpest of ears could detect such a sound, in spite of the eerie silence of the night. It sounded like someone was….. crying. Curiosity getting the better of her, Sarabi decided to investigate. The lionesses slept in another, smaller den – Scar took the main den all for himself – so there was no way anyone would find out about Sarabi's little adventure. Utilising the deadly stealth that she had perfected over years of hunting practice, she carefully tiptoed out of the cave, careful not to disturb her sleeping pride. She walked towards the waterhole, following the sound, which was growing louder every minute. When she finally reached the edge of the waterhole, she was shell-shocked.

On the bank of the moonlit waterhole, lay a devastated Sarafina.

She was down beside the waterhole, her body wracked with heavy, heart-broken sobs. Sarabi did not know how to console her. Sarafina had indeed saved a life, but she had been terribly violated in the process. Pulling her friend into a warm embrace, Sarabi patted her back, trying to find a way to make her feel better.

"It's okay, Fina. It's over now."

Sarafina cried even harder. "No, it's not, Sarabi." Sarafina pulled away from her, and Sarabi finally got a good look at her. Sarafina looked completely destroyed. She looked like she had been crying all week.

"What are you talking about, Fina?"

"I'm pregnant, Sarabi. I'm pregnant with that monster's cub!"

Sarafina broke down again, crying hysterically. But Sarabi just stood there, frozen in shock. This was indeed a problem. The cub would be one of royal blood, which meant one, single, disastrous thing.

Scar had an heir. He had a potential follower. A loyal subject. A new dictator to continue his line of tyranny.

After nearly an hour of consoling, Sarafina stopped crying. Sarabi thought this was a good time to ask the one question that was on her mind for quite some time now.

"So what are we going to do about the cub, Fina?" she asked softly.

Sarabi was expecting her friend to break down again, so she was surprised when she didn't. Instead, Sarafina had a very determined look set on her face.

"The cub must never meet its father. I won't let that happen. I won't let Scar turn my baby into another tyrant! Scar won't bother about me now that he knows I'm pregnant, so he won't care where I am. When the pregnancy starts showing, I'll leave Pride Rock for a few days and give birth to the cub."

"But what about raising the cub?" Sarabi asked.

"I…. I don't know." A single tear rolled down Sarafina's cheek. "We'll think about it when the time comes."

Another important question popped up in Sarabi's mind. "The cub will eventually ask about its father, Fina.." She said softly, knowing that this was a rather touchy subject.

But Sarafina was quick to reply. "I'll tell the cub that its father's name was Taka." Sarafina let out a painful sigh. "I'll tell the cub that Taka died.. a long time ago.."

* * *

Simba slumped down in his cave, exhausted. It had been eleven weeks since he had joined the pride. Tama and Tojo had taken very good care of him, and he enjoyed spending time with them. Wivu, however, was another story altogether. She took every chance she got to spend time with him. Simba couldn't understand. She had so many other friends! So why did she have to come running after him?!

Simba had learnt many things about her. And one of them was that she wasn't his type _at all._ The only thing she did all the time was groom herself by the waterhole. Simba was even more shocked to learn that she despised playing tag! He had never met a cub like her before! And the worst part was that she hated getting dirty. That meant that there was absolutely no adventure in Simba's life.

Adventure. The one thing that had made Simba's life truly worth living. And now, it was all gone. Every last, single shred of it, blown away. Wivu had already made it clear to Simba that she had a huge crush on him. But Simba knew that there was only one lioness for him. And Simba would give anything to go back to the way things were.

But he knew for a fact that he would never see her again. _'Would it hurt to give Wivu a chance?' _Simba thought. _'Maybe it would…'_ Simba didn't want to be alone for the rest of his life. But he certainly did not want to be stuck up with someone who had _absolutely_ _nothing_ in common with him. A small part of him wanted to give Wivu a chance, but common sense told him that one of them was only going to get hurt in the process. Simba was terribly conflicted, and he desperately needed someone to talk to.

Tama walked towards her cave, humming a merry tune. She had lost a lot in her life, but she was happy with what she had. She was respected by the pride, and was a pretty good huntress. _'A perfect queen'_, she thought, smiling cheekily to herself. She knew she was getting ahead of herself and being a little too optimistic, but she didn't mind day-dreaming when she had nothing else to do.

Tama walked into the cave to find something she was very used to by now. At the far end of the spacious cave, lay a golden cub, staring miserably into space. He had grown a lot in three weeks, and though he was still a cub, he was rather big for his age. And Tama had had it with his foul mood. She couldn't see him depressed like this all the time. Cubs were supposed to up and about, running around playing pranks on anything that moved in the vicinity. This particular cub, however, was a polar opposite. Tama sat beside him.

"Okay Kopa. I want you to talk to me. What's bothering you?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing.." Tama could hear the pain in his barely audible voice.

"Kopa…." She put a paw on his shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile.

Simba sighed. "I miss my home. I miss my family."

Simba felt tears in his eyes, but he felt two paws wipe them away, and he smiled.

"We all do, Kopa." She looked off into the distance. "This pain that you're feeling now, is too painful to keep in, Kopa. So I want you to let it all out." Simba choked back a sob. "And when you miss them, I want you to do what I do. I want you to go out into the grasslands and roar into the night sky. It's a way of telling the ones that are no longer with you that you still love them. It's something my mother used to tell me."

Simba nodded, and for the first time in weeks, he grinned. "Yeah, but there's one small problem."

"And that is?"

"I can't roar yet."

Tama chuckled. Simba did have a good sense of humour, when he was in a good mood.

"Tama?"

"Yes, Kopa?"

"When you were talking, you mentioned your mother. You never told me about your family, Tama."

"I know how you feel, Kopa."

"Huh?"

"I know what it's like to lose a family." Tama had tears in her eyes. The pain was evident in her face. She hated telling people this story.

"I was nine, maybe ten months old. We used to live quite close to the Grasslands. Me, my parents, and my little newborn baby brother. We were the happiest family in the world." Tama stared off into the distance as old memories flooded into her, bringing a great deal of pain and regret with them. "One day, Dad took me out so I could watch him hunt. Mom stayed behind because my brother was too little to come along with us. When my Dad brought down a zebra, we found a rather unpleasant scent. Before I knew what was going on, hyenas came out from everywhere and started attacking us. Dad told me to run, and I didn't have a choice. I thought he would hold them off till I reached the Grassland Pride, but he… he.." Tama broke down at this point. "He didn't make it. We found his body, half-eaten in the grass." Tama tried desperately to keep herself from crying, but she couldn't.

"I knew that the hyenas had to pass by our cave before reaching us, so I didn't have much hope that my mother would still be there. King Bahati sent search parties out, but they were never found. I haven't seen my mother or brother since." Tama felt the golden cub nuzzle against her foreleg, and she couldn't help but smile. She knew what it felt like to lose a family, so she was determined to make her adopted little brother feel better.

"I still go out with Tojo to look for them sometimes. I just need to know if they're alive. If they're okay." Tama sighed. She needed to lighten the mood. The cub was already depressed. "I'll take you with us next time! It'll be fun! You'll get to learn a lot of new stuff!"

"Okay!" Simba was excited. There was a wonderful, devilish twinkle in his eye that Tama saw for the very first time. Simba finally had some adventure in his life! He was still a bit curious though.

"What was your mother's name?" he asked.

Tama looked to the ground. "Nafsi….. Her name was Nafsi…."

* * *

**Author's note: Haha I bet you didn't see that one coming! I have to admit.. I didn't think of the mother-daughter relationship till I reached the end of the chapter.. If you don't know or forgot who Nafsi is, go back to the third chapter.. I think this is another sub-plot for me to exploit, though, and it makes everything more… interesting, right? Please give me your thoughts on this chapter in a review! I couldn't really proofread this chapter, so if there are any mistakes, do let me know! The next chapter will be up on the 22****nd**** of May..**


	6. Chapter 6 - A Mother's Pain

**Author's note: Thank you all for your reviews! And again, if you find that my chapters need to improve, please tell me in your review! It really does help a lot! :)**

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Chapter 6: A Mother's Pain.

"Nafsi… Her name was Nafsi.."

Tama was staring blankly into space again, so she didn't notice the shocked expression on Simba's face. Here he was, sharing a cave with the lost daughter of one of his babysitters back at Pride Rock. Simba stared at Tama, and he suddenly realized that he couldn't deny the resemblance. Those orange-red eyes, the light brown fur, and that characteristic tuft of fur on her head… Tama looked almost exactly like her mother.

Simba suddenly realized something else. Tama was desperate to find her mother, and would do anything to meet her. And he knew where she was! Simba opened his mouth to say something, but quickly stopped himself. Realisation hit him hard, and he was plunged into burning indecision. He was an outcast. He realized that if he told Tama about her mother's whereabouts, she would instantly catch on to him. His lie would be exposed, and he would be taken back to Pride Rock. Simba was trembling, trying his best not to give away the mental battles raging on in his head. The least he could do for Tama, who had been so kind to him for nearly a month, was tell her where her family was. But in doing so, Simba knew he would have to face his past. And that was something he did not want to do. _Ever._

He decided against it.

He felt an incredible pang of guilt wash over him, yet again. He was used to this emotion now, but it still cut him deep. He knew he had to help. He owed at least that much to his adopted sister. One way or another, he would make sure Tama found her mother. And her brother…. Simba was surprised yet again. All this time, his foster sister had been one of his best friend's sisters? _Small world, _Simba thought with a smile.

"So, Wivu seems to like spending time with you, doesn't she?" Tama said, snapping Simba out of his thoughts.

"Yeah." Simba said tiredly.

Tama chuckled. "Don't worry, Kopa. You'll get used to her."

"I hope so." Simba said, looking into the distance. There was a certain lioness cub he couldn't stop thinking about.

"There was someone else, wasn't there, Kopa?"

Simba was taken aback. Did she really know him so well? "What?...No..no..I mean…" Simba stopped stuttering and looked at Tama, who was staring back at him, eyebrows raised, a sly grin on her face.

Simba sighed. "Yes. There was." Tama smiled.

"Her name was Nala." Simba suddenly stopped talking. Did he make a mistake by telling her his best friend's name? Or should he have made that up, too? Simba became a little worried. _'It's all right..It's not like they'll ever meet each other, will they?'_ Simba thought. He knew Tama deserved to know at least a part of the truth.

"She is.._was_ my best friend. We did everything together. I can't remember a time when she wasn't there with me. And now.." The tears started forming again. "Now I'm never going to see her again!" Simba cried into Tama's fur, and she patted his back. It did feel good to share his feelings with someone else. But Simba knew that Tama already knew too much, and he did not want her to know anything more about his life.

"It's late, Kopa.. Will you be alright?" Tama asked.

"I will now." Simba said with a smile.

"All right. Oh, I almost forgot. In a week, you'll be ten months old, and you'll need to get out of the den a bit more. So Tojo and I will take you out of the Grasslands. Maybe we'll even teach you how to hunt, while we search for my mother. Come only if you want to, though… Good night, Kopa!"

"Of course I'll come, Tama. Good night."

After Tama left, Simba began to think. He needed to take Tama to the Pride lands. It was the least he could do for her. Tama had asked him to accompany her on her quest to find her family, so he knew that there was only one way to do it. It was a huge risk. He had grown quite a bit in a month. An auburn tuft of fur had grown on his head and it made him look quite different. He was near adolescence. But he still couldn't let anyone see him. Not yet, at least. But it was a risk he was willing to take for Tama. In a week, Simba would have to go back to the Pride lands.

* * *

Nafsi was exhausted. She had been running for days. They had managed to find a temporary shelter to the south of the Pride lands, but the recent storm had made the entire area completely uninhabitable. The group ran around the border of the Pride lands, towards the north. They were on the move for days now. It was clear as crystal that Scar saw Chumvi as a future threat, and had even sent some hyenas after them. But the lions had easily managed to evade them, time and time again.

Nafsi had taken care of Chumvi very well. He was eleven months old, and had a small dark brown tuft of fur on his head, that went perfectly well with his chocolate brown fur. But Nafsi knew he had a long way to go before he could pose any sort of an opposition to Scar. They had been travelling through the desert for days. They desperately needed a place to stay. They had been walking in the sand and beneath the scorching sun for days.

Sabini noticed something. A slight change in the weather. It was barely noticeable, and she had just about felt it. She walked ahead of the group, and gradually began to quicken her pace. She was sure now. The winds were changing, the dunes gradually morphing into yellow savannah grass that was velvet to her paws. She was the first to race atop a nearby mound. Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull.

"Nafsi!" came her voice. It was filled with excitement.

Nafsi quickly got onto to the mound where Sabini was standing, and scanned the horizon.

At first, she thought she was seeing things. But then it became clear to her that she was only a few minutes away from sprawling grasslands.

Hasira and Sabini yelped in joy and raced off to a nearby waterhole. Chumvi looked around in amazement. But Nafsi's thoughts were very clear. They needed a place to stay before it got dark. They needed shelter before the hyenas got to them.

"All right. This looks like a nice place to stay. Drink your fill. We must keep moving." Nafsi said, in a clear, determined voice. As they walked through their new-found paradise, Nafsi couldn't help but feel that the place felt incredibly familiar.

_"Hasani?"_

The scents. The scenery. The landscape. She knew she had been here before. Suddenly, she stopped. And she saw it.

_"Hasani, where are you? Tama?"_

Nafsi felt a huge lump forming in her throat, refusing to go away.

It was a cave. A mere cave was sufficient to send shudders rippling through Nafsi's body. She found that she was silently crying, and she couldn't help it. She saw Chumvi staring at her in confusion.

_'Of course he won't remember. He was just born.'_

Nafsi fell to the ground, sobbing. She never wanted to come back here.

_"No! You can't leave me like this, Hasani! It isn't over!"_

To her, this place was haunted. Images of a large dark-furred lion, cradling a tiny, little lioness in his paws, came into her mind, and she cried even harder. She knew her husband was dead.

_"I need you!"_

She remembered stumbling upon his mutilated body. She remembered pulling a tiny, confused Chumvi against her chest and crying into the remains of her deceased husband's fur. But she hadn't seen Tama since. She had waited there for an hour, but there was no sign of her. Nafsi was barely ever the most optimistic lioness, so she only assumed the worst. The thought of her pretty little daughter being ripped apart by hyenas still made her squirm in sheer agony. She had run away with her newborn son, fearing for his life. She always woke up every morning, thinking that she would see her daughter come running back to her. All she wanted was to see her again. There was still hope. But that hope was diminishing every day.

Choking back sobs, she asked Sabini and Hasira to go hunting.

"What's wrong, Nafsi? Are you okay?" Sabini had a concerned look on her face.

Nafsi sighed. "I'm fine, guys. This place just….. brings back some memories."

Immediately understanding what she was talking about, Sabini and Hasira set out to search for some badly needed food. She took Chumvi inside the cave, and touched the walls tentatively. She could almost feel her husband talking to her, and her daughter playing with her. Thoughts of her daughter's angelic laughter brought a smile onto her face. She remembered something she had told her daughter a long time ago. She stepped out of the cave.

_And she roared into the sky._

It was a loud, heartfelt and hopeful roar. She hoped that her daughter was alive. She hoped that her daughter was happy, wherever she was. She hoped that she would see her daughter again.

Nafsi felt Chumvi rubbing against her side.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Chumvi said, tears filling his own eyes. "I've never seen you this sad before."

"I'm not sad, Chummy.. I just remembered something." Nafsi sighed. Chumvi knew nothing about his birth. To him, the only family he had was his mother. Chumvi seldom asked about his father, but when he did, Nafsi just brushed it off, changing the topic quickly. It hurt her too much to talk about it. But Nafsi knew she didn't have a choice now. She had been hiding it from him for long enough. He deserved to know.

"Chumvi. Sit."

The dark-furred adolescent did as he was told. He saw a hurt look in his mother's eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely audible.

"What are you talking about, Mom?"

"I've kept a secret from you for a long time, Chumvi. It's about time I tell you."

Chumvi nodded and she continued. "Chumvi, you have always thought that you had never met your father. That is not true. Your father was there for your birth, Chumvi. And….and.." Nafsi stopped for a second. "And so was your older sister. You were born here, Chumvi."

Chumvi's eyes widened. He looked around the cave, and felt an incredible sense of _déjà vu_. He hadn't expected this. He felt rather hurt that his mother had kept this from him for so long.

"Why didn't you tell me, Mother? And why did my father run away from us?" Chumvi felt a single tear roll down his cheek. "And where is my sister?!" Chumvi's voice was rising. But Nafsi, on the other hand, was shocked.

"Who told you that your father _ran away_ from us?" Nafsi was crying again.

"I just thought-" she cut him off.

"That's not true, Chumvi." Her voice was filled with pain. "Your father loved me very much. And you… you were his whole world." Nafsi fell to the floor, weeping. Chumvi now felt terrible that he had been angry with his mother.

"Your father was killed, Chumvi. He was killed by hyenas. I don't think you remember. You were so tiny that time. After he was killed, I ran away and took you with me. I couldn't let anything happen to you, Chumvi. You were all the family I had left!" Nafsi was crying hysterically, and Chumvi found himself in tears, too. He knew it was the wrong time to ask, but he just _had_ to know.

"And…. and what about my sister?"

"We never found her."

"But that means she could still be alive, right?" Chumvi said, hoping that this possibility would make his mother feel better. But it didn't.

"I've been searching for months now, Chumvi! I haven't found a sign of her! Tama probably isn't alive anymore. There's no hope! My daughter is dead!" Nafsi began crying even harder. She expected her son to be furious at her for keeping this from him, so she was rather surprised when he pulled her into a hug. Nafsi hugged him tight, and cried into his shoulder.

"Don't worry, mother. I promise we'll find her."

Nafsi was still crying. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Chumvi."

"Wait and watch, Mom. I'll keep trying. I know she's out there somewhere. And when I find her.."

"If you find her…"

"_When_ I find her, we'll be the happiest family in the world." Now that Chumvi knew he had a sister, he had a feeling she was alive. It was like a sixth sense. And Chumvi _always_ trusted his instinct. All he ever wanted was a complete family. And now that he knew he had a sister, he would do everything he could to find her.

After an hour or so, Sabini and Hasira returned with a large zebra they had killed. Sabini was relieved to see Nafsi asleep, a smile on her face, with her son wrapped up in her arms. They gently woke her up and they tore into the zebra. They hadn't eaten for days.

"So.." Hasira said, a mouthful of meat in her mouth, "where do we go from here?" There was an odd glint in Hasira's eyes, but the lionesses ignored it. Chumvi, on the other hand, tilted his head, thoroughly intrigued.

"We could always join another pride.." Sabini suggested.

"No." Nafsi was clear in her decision. "The nearest pride is King Bahati's. It's a two hour run from here. He's extremely generous, so he won't mind us staying here." The others stared at her, waiting for her to continue. They were extremely confused by her decision.

"The king is a very good friend of Sarabi's. And we're only a day's run away from the Pride lands. If we do join his pride, there is a very slight chance that Scar may find out." Nafsi sighed, and continued. "I'm not going to take a chance with Chumvi's safety. We're better off here," she said, the firmness clear in her voice.

Sabini nodded. She completely understood. Chumvi was everything to poor Nafsi. And this place wasn't so bad, was it? The four lions continued to gorge on the zebra, pleased that they were finally safe.

Little did they know, that hidden in the grass, a pair of blood red eyes were watching them from the distance.

* * *

**Author's note: Aww.. that was a cute chapter, right? It was a little painful, but Chumvi's resolve is pretty heart-warming, eh? Too bad this chapter had to end the way it did… Nah, it isn't a bad thing! I warned you before! I like ominous stuff in my stories.. So who do you think the blood-red eyes belong to? It won't be too hard to guess… Let me know your thoughts in a review! The next chapter will probably be up some time in the first week of June.**


	7. Chapter 7 - Discontent

**Author's note: It feels like years since I updated! Sorry for that :P… It was the first time I had a writer's block, and I had no idea what to do about it.**

** Since it's been so very long, you might want to read the whole thing again, just so you know where things stand.**

** I'll update more frequently now, because that little dry period has passed (or seems to have, at least!) Oh, and Chu10 and KaltheBrave, thanks a lot for encouraging me to keep going! It means a lot! Well, the key portion of this story hasn't started yet, and it won't start in a while.. Like I said before, this story is a big one. So try to enjoy! And as always, feel free to criticize, and please tell me if any of the lions are out of character! This chapter may come as a surprise, and it will feel very sudden, but I will go deeper into all my characters as we progress! Read on!**

**Proofreading credits go to Chu10.. Once again, thank you :).**

* * *

Chapter 7 : Discontent.

The night was cold, as it always was in the savannah. And yet, it did not deter them. They were hunters. Predators. Creatures of the night. One mere, solitary glance at them could reduce the greatest beasts of the plains into frightened balls of fur and hide. They were not ordinary creatures. No. They were extraordinarily skilled. Trained for years in the Outlands, for one sole purpose.

_Assassination._

Yes, they were murderers. Hired, cold-blooded assassins that killed merely for the fun of it. Mercy was a foreign word to them. They could strike when least expected, and disappear in a flash, leaving nothing but cold, rotting bodies. They could kill in one leap. They made it look so easy. So effortless. But there was something far more terrifying about them.

They were never suspected.

They were never the nice, pretty lionesses, but they always made it a point to have alibis. They were a group of only six; and highly experienced as they were, cooking up believable stories was like killing a wildebeest with a broken leg in broad daylight. They couldn't afford to be caught, because they wanted to kill for the rest of their lives. They _enjoyed_ their profession.

Their eyes glowed a bright, fiery orange in the darkness. Striking fear into the hearts of lion and antelope alike, they blazed across the plains, closing in on their targets. But this time, there was a slight problem. And it was only apt that the leader of their group, conniving and brilliant as she was, would point it out.

"Wait.." Her voice was a mere whisper, but the group could easily hear her. So finely tuned were their senses that no sound went unnoticed.

"What's wrong? They're right there." Spotty's claws were unsheathed, itching for blood. "There are four of them and six of us. We can take them."

Zira stared back at her second-in-command skeptically, and pointed at one of the enemy lionesses. "The others aren't a problem. It is her I'm worried about. _Sabini,_" Zira spat out the name, her voice filled with venomous contempt.

The group stared back at her leader, eyebrows raised. Zira would never hesitate when it came to a fight.

"She is the queen's older sister. She's easily the fastest huntress in the land." Zira's voice took on a condescending tone. "Much faster than any of you."

The lionesses never appreciated Zira's frequent comments on their proficiency, or lack of it, but they never thought much of it. No one would dare to question a lioness as_ powerful _as Zira.

"We could kill them now, but there's too much chance that one of them will escape. Especially _her_. And we can't let that happen. Bahati's pride is not very far, and he already doesn't like us much. This mission has to be _perfect. _So we do what we have always done. We _stalk._ We wait for the right time. They won't always be together." Zira smiled evilly. "And besides, it looks like they've settled down rather nicely. Let them have their fun for now. Our time will come."

Turning around, Zira quickly walked towards the east, not looking back once. She knew her group would follow. They always did. They were her _insignificant, little puppets._

"So where are we going now?" Dotty asked softly, careful not to upset her leader.

Zira laughed. "I think it's about time we pay our brainless colleagues a little visit, don't you think? I want to have a little chat with them. Just to make sure they…._co-operate._" Zira smirked, but her voice took on a very authoritative, commanding tone._ "_After that, I want you all to stay here and keep an eye on those lionesses and that ignorant teenager. Scar would love to hear about our progress!"

The lionesses nodded. The job at hand was fairly easy for them. They were the experts at espionage. The group walked into the darkness of the undergrowth, leaving not a single trail behind. Zira would do anything for her king. She would leave no stone unturned. She would make sure Chumvi was dead.

* * *

"Banzai! Get over here! We have work to do!"

Shenzi was exhausted. Scar never did anything himself, and now, that wasn't going to change at all. He was a king. He would walk around, head held high, showing off his newfound elite persona, and the hyenas had to do his dirty work. But of course, she didn't mind. The hyenas finally had what they _always _wanted. An endless supply of food.

She didn't mind killing lions – her pack had done it before – but this group was different. The hyenas were predictable now, and the lions elusive. They would do all it took to survive. And Shenzi's patience was running out. But her exhaustion didn't matter. She was terrified of the punishment. Scar was once their friend, and they were equals. But now, he was the king. He was their ticket to the Pride lands. And the matriarch would do anything to ensure the status and security of her family and her pack.

But she had a problem. Hyenas normally had a near perfect sense of smell, and could detect anything, from the tiny ant to the majestic elephant. But these hyenas under her command were insolent idiots. Years of rotting in the Elephant Graveyard had made them insensitive, inattentive and extraordinarily lazy, so much so that the lions were miles away from them now.

Scar always picked three hyenas to vent out his anger and frustration, and Shenzi, being the matriarch, could do the same with her brother, Banzai, and his best friend, Ed.

"Can we please get a move on!" she barked. "We keep lazin' around by the waterhole all day, and that old lion'll have our heads!"

"Who? Scar?" Banzai replied, his tone anything but frightened. "He can't do nothin'! He needs us!" Ed began to laugh maniacally, oblivious to Shenzi's stern, authoritative glare.

But suddenly, he stopped, as a chilling cackle ripped through the cold night air, tearing most of the nonchalant attitudes apart. This was also laughter, but it was far more sinister. Far more calculating. Ed rarely had a serious expression on his face, but he realized that now was a very good time indeed.

"Is that so?"

Shenzi gulped. She hated Zira with all her heart. She would never admit it, but she was terrified of the things the psychotic lioness was capable of. Deep down, Shenzi knew that she was better off upsetting Scar. '_At least he has a temper, however short.'_

Banzai and Ed began to back away from the group, beads of perspiration rolling down their cheeks. The hyenas had strength in numbers, but they weren't the boldest creatures. Zira, on the other hand, relished a challenge. She took pride in the fact that she could invoke so much fear in fellow predators with such little effort.

"What is it now, Zira?" Shenzi spoke up, her face betraying any expression.

"Oh, nothing much, Shenzi. I was just checking up on you, that's all."

"There is no need for that, Zira. We are perfectly fine on our own."

"Then we must agree to disagree." Zira replied, walking towards a snoring hyena, with a disgusted expression on her face. Getting within inches of the hyena's sleeping form, she let a low growl rip through her throat. The hyena jumped up, looking around frantically, and stared straight into Zira's burning eyes. Letting out a petrified yelp, the hyena raced away from a thoroughly amused Zira.

Shenzi rolled her eyes. "Why are you here, Zira?" she asked in an exasperated tone.

Zira's voice took on a more serious note. She scrunched her eyebrows and bared her teeth. "Let me make one thing clear. If even _one_ of your spineless _fools_ meddles with our plans, all your heads will adorn every little corner of Pride Rock. Is that understood!?"

Shenzi nodded weakly in response. She stood her ground as the group left, trying desperately to ignore her pacing heart. No one terrified her like Zira did. And she knew for sure that her threat was not an empty one. It never was. Slowly turning around, she walked towards a temporary shelter, knowing that good night's sleep was now only a dream that wouldn't come true.

* * *

_"Mufasa? Where are you?" A lone, nearly full-grown lioness pushed through the grass, looking for the love of her life. She was one of the prettiest lionesses in the Pride, and it was no surprise that she was betrothed to the Prince. Her feelings were unrequited most of the time, and Mufasa was always distracted around her; but she always knew he would come around some day. All she had to do was wait. She was going to be queen. It was only a matter of time. She was beautiful, and all the lions were attracted to her. Except one. The one that mattered._

_She didn't worry much though. They were betrothed. And nothing could change that. She was a good huntress and a sweet lioness. All she needed was some attention from Mufasa. And that, unfortunately for her, was being spent on another lioness. _

_Sarabi._

_Hasira never got along with her, but they were Pridesisters. She didn't want to disrupt the peace that had prevailed in the Pride Lands for innumerable generations. They were all friends once, but she couldn't deny that Mufasa and Sarabi were truly meant for each other. But seeing them together always ignited a spark in her. A spark of sheer jealousy. Envy. She tried to get rid of the dark thoughts floating around in her head, to no avail. She managed to keep them under control, but it was affecting her personality to such an extent that it was scaring her. She was afraid that the spark would amplify, resulting in an explosion which would rock the pride to its core._

_And she wanted peace. But she knew that there was a limit to her self-control. How many emotions could she bottle up after all? Mufasa would surely make sure that their betrothal would come to an end. He was the crown prince. He could do anything. And she didn't know if she could take it. She truly loved him, but it just wasn't meant to be. She would just have to accept defeat. And it would be much harder than she thought._

* * *

The Northern Plains. Some called it heaven; some called it paradise. The river was filled with rain water again, and the Grasslands were teeming with life; filled with herds, prides, packs and colonies that lived together in harmony and mutual respect. Or appeared to, at least.

For the Circle of Life was an unbreakable concept. It was an idea that went back to the beginning of Time itself. It was kill or be killed in the wild. Death was the only precedent to success in the savannah. Every single animal, however noble, was a killer. But some of them had a certain amount of expertise that set them miles apart from the rest.

Tall grass filled out the savannah. It worked to their advantage, of course, as they zeroed in on a herd of well-built zebra. The incessant chirping and the bird calls ceased, as the environment itself seemed to sense a disturbance in the prevailing peace. But this was an everyday affair. Simply put, this was nature taking its course.

A tail, unnoticed by most creatures, started to rise gradually out of the grass, tilting slightly to the left. It was the simplest of things, intended to have a deadly effect. One paw replacing another, a tawny form floated through the grass, her eyes locked onto a mesmerising pattern of black and white.

Shutting the rest of the environment out of her system, she focused solely on an old and apparently sick zebra, knowing that her friend was doing the same a hundred feet away. Hunting was no cakewalk, though. A tad faster than the average lioness, the zebra was a deceptively powerful creature. But the lionesses had an ace up their sleeve. They had one particularly lethal weapon in their arsenal that gave them a definite, if not distinct, advantage. A weapon that few predators used to maximum effect.

Stealth.

The ears of a young, adult zebra perked up, as he looked up, scanning the horizon. The others soon followed suit. They had caught a whiff of the scent they had learned to dread all their lives. Peaceful grazing was now life-threatening business. The zebras had to make a choice. Food. Or their lives.

The lionesses sensed the indecision in the herd immediately. The herd would soon make its decision. But the serial killers of the savannah thrived on hesitation. Not a second could be wasted now. This was their opportunity to wreak havoc.

It was now or never.

Propelling herself through the grass, Sabini shot through the foliage with explosive pace, curving around the herd and creating an arc, zeroing in on her trembling target. Completely startled, the painted beasts ran frantically in wayward directions, desperate to confuse the speeding gauntlet of teeth and claws that was coming their way.

But Sabini was too experienced to be bothered by the herd's attempts to throw her off track. Letting out a determined, focused roar, she raced towards the petrified zebra. The zebra ran in the opposite direction, pushing forward in sheer desperation. All its attention was focused on getting away from the rampaging lioness. A flawed attitude to use in this situation.

Lions never hunted alone.

All of a sudden, a blur of orange erupted from the yellow grass, momentarily blinding the zebra. Hasira, waiting in ambush all the while, used the element of surprise to her advantage. Wrapping her forelegs around the zebra's neck, she bit as hard as she could. Though the zebra slowed down, it kept trying. Its life was at stake.

Then came something any lioness would do without. The zebra began to buck and sway, trying to loosen the iron grip of the lioness. And to Hasira's surprise, it was working.

Just when the zebra thought it was free, a sudden weight was put on its shoulders. Blinding pain coursed through its veins, as Sabini went straight for the zebra's throat. A sickening crack was heard; it was music to the lioness' ears. The zebra dropped in a lifeless heap, giving in to sheer, ruthless strength.

"Dinner…" Sabini breathed a sigh of relief. This was the moment she was waiting for for a long time. The thrill of a kill. Nafsi spent most of her time with Chumvi, so the burden of hunting fell on Sabini and her Pridesister, Hasira. Sweet by nature, Hasira generally used to have a soft personality, and would keep to herself all the time. But something was visibly different now. She had a pained look in her normally smiling eyes. Ghosts from her past were bubbling to the surface, and this time, Hasira had no reason to keep her smiling face. Mufasa was _gone._

Sabini turned to her friend and smiled, only to be greeted by a lifeless expression. Hasira had changed drastically after that horrible incident. It had affected them all, but Hasira had taken it particularly hard. And Sabini knew why.

"Listen Hasira, you need to…" A low growl from her friend cut her off. She understood why her friend was acting like this, but she didn't like it.

"What do you know, Sabini? You're just like your sister," Hasira snapped, in a purely condescending tone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sabini stepped forward threateningly. No one spoke about Sarabi that way. She got in Hasira's face, but it had no effect. Hasira remained unfazed.

"If I was in her place, I wouldn't have let this happen!" There were tears in Hasira's eyes, but she bared her teeth. "I would have been a better queen!" she hissed.

Sabini was angry. She had had enough. Letting out a furious roar, she seethed, "All right, that's enough! Sarabi is handling this with pride and so should you!"

"Why?" Hasira turned to Sabini, pure hurt in her eyes. "Have I any pride left? I was ignored. Shunned. Do you know what that feels like. No! You're the queen's _sister_. And I was just an average lioness in love with someone I couldn't have! I stayed in the Pride Lands only because _he_ was there! I had nowhere else to go! And now…." her voice was breaking, "I don't have anything left."

Sabini's eyes widened. She didn't expect this, and she had no idea how to react. "I…I thought you were over this…."

This seemed to anger Hasira even more. "Over this?! Say, why don't I kill someone you love and we'll see what you do about it! Do you know what it is like to keep your emotions to yourself every single time! I have nothing to tell you anymore!"

"Look, Hasira. Think about it. Mufasa had made his choice. You were a really nice lioness. You still are! You need to move on."

"We were betrothed!"

"Being queen doesn't mean everything. It only means you have a title and many, many responsibilities," Sabini said trying her best to put a smile on her friend's face. Her attempts were futile; her words were ignored. Hasira stormed off into the undergrowth, a teary frown on her face.

Sabini let out a tired sigh. She knew how strained Hasira's emotions were. From being betrothed to the prince to having her heart ripped apart, Hasira's life was a roller coaster ride. And Sabini completely understood. But she felt that Hasira was taking it a bit too far. They were going through one of the worst times. And they needed to stay together and protect one another. Issues like could have dangerous consequences, and Sabini wanted to make sure things didn't get out of hand. All she wanted was for everything to be all right again.

* * *

**Author's note: So what did you think? Leave your thoughts in a review.. I still have two more characters to introduce, so the next chapter will be about that.. I'll post the next chapter on the 21****st**** of June. Have a great week!**


	8. Chapter 8 - A Warrior Race

**Author's note: So here's the new chapter.. Thankfully I didn't have a huge problem writing this chapter. Sorry, I couldn't reply to some of your reviews, this chapter turned out a little longer than I thought:) .. I will reply to all of them later on though! Some new characters and story paths are introduced in this chapter, so leave a review to tell me what you think about it!**

**And once again, proofreading credits go to Chu10, who was especially helpful in this chapter. Thank you :).**

* * *

Chapter 8 : A Warrior Race.

"Does he always have to disappear?" Tama groaned, as she walked through the plains, searching for her best friend.

"Hmm I don't know, he seems awfully busy lately," Simba replied. His life was nice now. The guilt pangs were rather frequent, but he was covering his identity well. No one had ever suspected that he was the only Prince of the greatest kingdom in the savannah.

"This is _so_ boring! Why can't we just go sit by the waterhole?" a shrill, female voice complained. Simba rolled his eyes; it was something he did quite often when he was in Wivu's company. She was a nice cub for the most part, but she was rather annoying. Simba didn't really mind much, though. He was going through a hard time, and was glad that he could make a few more friends.

A loud roar shattered the peace of the Plains, leaving terrified herbivores scattering in different directions. It wasn't an angry roar, but it was rather commanding.

"That's King Bahati. I wonder what he wants," Tama said, a slight smile on her face. To her, life was fun. She still missed her family, but her motto was to enjoy the moment. And that, she did.

"I'm not sure. I think we'd better find out. Maybe he knows where Tojo is!" Simba exclaimed. The three young lions ran towards the roar, eager to find out what the commotion was all about. They raced to the waterhole, and were mildly surprised by what they saw.

It was a gathering, with King Bahati and Tojo in the middle, and the rest of the Grassland Pride forming a ring around them. Bahati, as always, was jovial. Tama was the first to walk up to the Prince.

"Where the hell were you? We looked for you everywhere!" her voice was a hoarse whisper. Tama wasn't the most docile lioness. Tojo simply smiled.

"Well, my training just began, so my Dad took me around the kingdom!" There was obvious excitement in his voice. "My uncle's finally here, too!"

"Your uncle?" Simba had a confused expression on his face, as Tojo and the group walked back to join the rest of the Pride, leaving the King in the centre. No one ever said anything about Tojo having an uncle. He had had enough time to acquaint himself with everyone in the Pride. There was a large number of females and a few young males, a handful of them his own age. Most of them were friendly and hospitable, but a small minority – Zira and her gang – weren't to be messed with. So who was this new lion?

Simba was about to say something when he heard footsteps. A few heads turned. The younger lions, including Simba, had confused expressions on their faces. The older lions sported a look of recognition. It wasn't a very happy look; it was rather forced. In the king's presence, a certain social decorum had to be maintained. King Bahati himself had a wide smile, even wider than before, plastered across his face.

A rugged, roguishly confident lion, as large and muscular as the King himself, walked toward the gathering. A multitude of gruesome battle-scars ran all across his once handsome, powerful, yellow-furred body. He wore a serious expression; said nothing. He walked up to the King, brushing his black mane aside nonchalantly.

"Welcome back, brother," Bahati was cordial as usual. His brother, however, was a polar opposite.

"We can do this later. Let's get down to business."

"You haven't changed, have you?" Bahati rolled his eyes in amusement.

"I didn't find the need to. And besides, someone needs to protect this place. I find it surprising that _you_ haven't been overthrown, little brother."

Bahati smiled. "There's more to ruling a kingdom than battle, Guvu."

"And that is why I am not king. Blah blah blah. There is no unique force that binds a kingdom together and gives it true power, Bahati. You have finally realized that you need me."

A trace of pain flashed in the King's eyes. "It may not appear so, but I have struggled all these years, Guvu. The kingdom may be flourishing, but it is not as powerful as it is glorious. I have always needed you, Brother."

"A pride is nothing without its warriors. But Father seemed to have a vividly different opinion."

"Yes Guvu, but that is now in the past. Let's put our differences aside. With King Mufasa's demise, our neighbours are not as amicable as they once were."

Guvu smiled. "Then is it agreed?"

"Yes, Brother."

Bahati turned to a confused Pride. But before he could say anything, Guvu intervened. "Wait, Bahati." Guvu stared into the distance. Simba followed his gaze, and to his surprise, he saw another lion, his own age, approaching the group. He had a black tuft of hair growing on his head. His brilliant orange fur glistened in the sunlight. Sporting a cocky smile, he made his way to King Bahati and bowed.

Guvu turned to the Pride. "Meet Malka. He is also an orphan, like most of you gathered here. I found him in the jungle when he was a cub," he turned to Bahati, "when I first ventured into the wilderness. I have raised him as my own, and he will stay with the Pride henceforth."

Bahati chuckled. "Guvu, you do realise I would have agreed to this any day, but I know better than most that it is not in your nature to ask. Nevertheless, Malka is welcome here, as is anyone else with a good heart. Malka, I'm sure you will feel very much at home here."

Malka smiled and bowed respectfully, "It is an honour to serve you, my King."

Bahati smiled, "No one serves me here, son. You will serve the Pride, like everyone here. I am just the leader of a group of equals. The lucky one among them, if you will."

Malka smiled back and walked back to the rest of the group, standing next to Simba and a smiling Tojo.

Bahati turned to his brother once more. "So where is the rest of your coalition?"

Guvu gave a trace of smile. "They will be here in a few days. Most of them are well-built, and do not need to go through the preliminary training again."

"All right, then. It's settled." As murmurs from the Pride ceased, a rather awkward silence prevailed, as the two massive lions stared at each other, as if contemplating an opening sentence.

Curiosity was bubbling within Tama. She had been unusually quiet for quite a while, and she decided to speak up. "So what's going on? This discussion must have been held for a reason."

Bahati smiled. He had always appreciated Tama's bluntness; it was a trait he did not see very often in the other members of his Pride. "Yes, there is a reason, a very important one. As you all know, King Mufasa met a disastrous end in a terrible incident that took place a few months ago."

Simba cringed; he wanted to claw his heart out and rip it to shreds. '_Here we go again.'_

"As the rightful heir to the throne died with the King in the stampede, Scar, the second-in-line, has ascended the throne. However, things have taken a turn for the worse. A drought has taken the Pride Lands by surprise, infecting its resources. The situation looks bleak."

Simba stood in utter shock and devastation. His parents had told him many stories of his ancestry and glorious heritage, but in none of them had the Pride faced such a problem. Drought in the Pride Lands. He had never heard of this. Why was all this happening now? Was it his fault? Thought after thought pricked at Simba's heart, eating away at his conscience, slowly and painfully.

"My brother and I have discussed the possibility - and to an extent, the inevitability - of an invasion of our kingdom. Now that the once rich Pride Lands are beginning to become a kingdom of dust and rotting carcasses, we must be wary of attempts by the new King Scar to expand the boundaries of his kingdom and possibly forge an empire of his own. Whether he is planning to do this out of concern for the well-being of his pride, or whether this is simply an attempt to gain an immortal status through pure tyranny, is none of our concern, and we shall be wise to reserve judgement for the future."

"Nonetheless," Bahati gave a dramatic pause to let the Pride comprehend his words, "we must prepare for the worst. And that is why Guvu is here." Bahati turned to his brother and nodded. Guvu stepped forward, his heavy frame moving effortlessly towards the Pride.

"Males, step forward."

Malka was the first to step forward, and stood up straight as a pole. He wasn't even an adolescent, but his height was impressive. The four other fully-grown males followed suit, catching on quickly. Simba had a confused look on his face, but walked up to the line nonetheless, with Tojo and a few other young males.

Guvu stared each one of them down, and eventually began to walk across the line to and fro in an elegant, general-like fashion. He spoke in a gruff, commanding voice that made the lions stare at him in awe. "Generations ago, in a time none of you can ever imagine, my ancestors, the Great Grass Land Warriors, built a foundation. A foundation that would serve the lands for centuries to come. A foundation that culminated in a powerful band of soldiers, simply called the Warriors."

"You will be trained. Every single day. Trained to defend our glory. We will hone your skills to perfection, till you reach a stage where self-defence becomes your second nature; your sixth sense. Together, we will forge a true Pride that will keep any opposing force at bay."

"So I will give you this opportunity once and only once. If you want to serve this Pride with honour and create a legacy that will be cherished by our descendants for years to come, stay in your line. However, if you want to stay idle and waste the rest of your lives away in utter shame, do take a step back. The choice is yours. The time is now. It's your call, for now."

A couple of old lions took a small step back and made their way to the rest of the Pride, failing to notice the tense, cold stare that Guvu was giving them. A number of lions stared at each other, trying to make a decision. No one else moved back, but the hesitation was crystal clear. Guvu, sharp as he was, took notice of this.

"I see that there is tremendous indecision in this group. It is a trait that we will have to eliminate. Very well, then. I will give you all a day's time to decide. Nothing more. I hope, for the good of this Pride, that many of you will make a favourable decision. But once you join this cause, there is no turning back. Life will be _hell_ for you all, but it will make you more of a lion than you could ever be. I will see you all tomorrow." Without a second glance, Guvu walked towards an isolated cave on the other side of the waterhole.

Tojo trotted back to the group. "So," he had a sly smile on his face, "what do you think of my uncle?"

"He seems…strict!" Tama blurted out in typical fashion.

Tojo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, he seems that way, but once you get to know him, he's a really caring lion!"

Tama smirked. "Okay, but _how_ do we get to know him when he acts like that? He's another one of those scary, old lions who always throws his weight around!"

Tojo stared at Tama skeptically. "That may be the case, but he still means well!"

"You told me he was a happy guy."

"Yeah, well, I tell you a lot of things." Tojo smirked, and turned back to go to his father, leaving behind a gaping Tama; and Simba, who barely managed to resist a chuckle.

"Hey, where are you going?" Simba called out, as Tojo walked toward the kopje.

"Dad's taking my royal training to a whole new level! He says I'll have to be on my toes because of this whole new surveillance thing, so I have to take battle training too!"

Tama spoke up. "But when do we search for my mother then?"

Tojo smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Tama. I won't give up on that."

* * *

The bright evening sun shone down on unfamiliar land. Animals in the savannah hadn't seen a land like this in decades. If memory served them right, these lands were the Pride Lands; lands of glory, lands of brilliance.

But now, glory was in the past. It was a history lesson. The lands were withering under the sun. The grass had turned yellow, a colour that was only associated with the dry season. It had been a few months since the end of the dry season. Rains had lashed every other part of the savannah ruthlessly, bringing with them a chance for a new life. But the Pride Lands were an extraordinary exception.

The waterholes were beginning to vanish. The river still supplied water to the land, but the water levels were not encouraging. Herds were few and far between now. The lands were not uninhabitable by any means, but signs of a horrible drought were unmistakable.

"Has anyone seen my mother?" A sweet, young voice disturbed the eerie silence that had prevailed over an exhausted Pride.

"No, Nala. Don't worry. She must be out hunting somewhere," Kula replied. Nala only managed a weak smile, before walking to a slightly elevated region and staring into the distance.

Nala and Kula were growing fast. Their muscles were developing well in spite of the shortage of food, and they were growing into adolescence very quickly.

"Hey! There's the hunting party!" Kula shouted. Before she could turn around, Nala shot past her and ran straight towards a rather downcast Sarabi. It was obvious that they had not been successful.

"Has anyone seen my mother?" Nala was anxious; her eyes were darting from one lioness to another. The lionesses stared at each other apprehensively before looking at Sarabi. Sarabi nodded and beckoned for the others to carry on to Pride Rock.

"Nala, walk with me."

"What's going on, Sarabi?"

Sarabi sighed. This was going to be a painful conversation. She didn't want Nala to go through so much at such young age.

"Nala, your…your mother doesn't stay at Pride Rock anymore."

Nala was stunned. What was going on? Where was her mother? A billion questions churned in her head and she began to feel a little dizzy.

"What…why?" she stuttered.

"Sarabi gave her a consoling smile. "It's too dangerous for your mother to live at Pride Rock now, Nala. You must understand; it's for her own good. We took her to a place close to the boundary. It's an old leopard cave; one of the most secluded in the Pride Lands. She'll be safe there."

Nala nodded weakly. She was too young to live without her mother.

"Don't worry, Nala. The Pride will take care of you till it's safe for her to come back."

Nala felt tears in her eyes, but refused to break down. Her mother was finally safe. She wanted to be happy, but she couldn't. It was going to be very hard for her.

"I understand." Nala looked down, the first tear falling to the ground. "Can I still visit her?"

Sarabi smiled. "Of course you can! We'll arrange for you two to meet once a week at least. But you will have to be careful. Sarafina's safety is very important, so no one must follow you. Understood?"

Nala nodded, a tearful smile on her face. "Thank you, Queen Sarabi!"

Sarabi pulled the young lioness into a hug. "You don't have to thank me, dear. Now come on. I think it's time for your basic hunting lesson. Bring Kula too."

"Really? Don't you think we're a little young?"

"Not to catch a butterfly!"

Nala beamed as she ran back to Pride Rock. To Nala, hunting practice was a dream come true.

* * *

Night fell quickly in the Grass Lands, but Simba couldn't sleep. It wasn't guilt this time. It was indecision. Simba wanted to help this Pride more than anything. He wanted to fight for the Pride. This was his chance! He would do anything to make his living worthwhile.

But there was a massive, mental obstacle in the way. This training was to prepare them for a battle which wasn't just against any normal lion. Guvu was training lions to fight against Scar. _Uncle_ Scar.

Simba winced. His thoughts were taking a toll on him. How could he fight against his own uncle? His own mother? Nala? _'How can I kill more of my family?' _

"Hey Kopa. What are you doing out here so late?"

Simba turned around to see Tojo. "Um nothing. I….uh.. I just needed some air."

Simba decided to ignore the screaming thoughts in his head with a change of topic. "So, what's the deal with your uncle, Tojo?"

"Well, he's a survivor. I just know what my Dad has told me. Apparently, my uncle and my grandfather had some sort of a disagreement about how a Kingdom should be ruled. My uncle wanted to prioritise battle; and my grandfather, peace. When Dad said he didn't want to take sides, my uncle voluntarily left the Kingdom, stressing that without a battle force, there wasn't a place for him in the Pride. He used to visit quite often though." Tojo smiled. "And now that we need some kind of an army, he's back."

Tojo smiled. "Thinking about the training, huh?"

"How did you know?"

"Everyone's thinking about it, Kopa. It's not an easy decision.

Simba sighed. "I know. It's just that," Simba paused. He had to be careful here, "I'm not good enough to be a Warrior."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't kill, Tojo. I'm not someone who trains to hurt a Pride."

Tojo smiled. "You may not have to."

"What?"

"You can train, Kopa, but all this is just a precaution. And what harm is there in taking a precaution? Say there is indeed a battle. How do you know for sure you'll be the one fighting it, Kopa? You may just have to stay back here and protect the Pride; you know, help out in defence and stuff. Maybe you will." Tojo winked.

"Huh?"

"My uncle likes me, Kopa. Very much."

"I still don't get it."

Tojo rolled his eyes. "I could talk to him if you want me to."

"Really?" Simba's eyes lit up.

Tojo nodded. He was surprised that the smallest things made his friend so happy.

His eyes filled with gratitude, Simba pulled Tojo into a hug. Tojo chuckled.

"Whoa, calm down there, little brother! I still have some talking to do."

"You don't know what this means to me!" Simba was jumping around in ecstasy.

"I think I have an idea, Kopa."

"No! You don't!"

Tojo rolled his eyes. "Spend some more time with Tama, and you'll become a male version of her," he muttered under his breath, as he walked to his den.

"Good night, Tojo!"

"Night, Kopa!" Tojo smiled. Simba was a weird kid.

But Simba finally had what he wanted. He had something to do, something to keep his mind busy. He now had a chance to repair his broken heart, by protecting the Pride that saved him. He had a chance to serve his Pride, and he didn't have to hurt his real family in the process. He made up his mind as soon as the initial excitement wore off. He would protect his loved ones with all his heart. He would not lose anyone else. He would stay back with his Pride to protect the Kingdom, instead of waging war with his old Pride. He only prayed that it would never come to that. He prayed that things would become peaceful, like they had always been. He would not be able to watch both his Prides mauling each other.

But this was it. He knew he wouldn't get a second chance. He would never get to be a King. Or a Prince. But now, he could become something crucial. Something important. Something respectable.

A Warrior.

* * *

**Author's note: I enjoyed writing this chapter.. It's nice to write one whole chapter in a few hours :) .. So what did you think of this chapter? Let me know! I'm going to be a little busy, so expect the next chapter sometime next week… And thank you all for all your help so far! All of you are awesome! Have a good day :)**


	9. Chapter 9 - A Familiar Feeling

**Author's note: Oh yes, loads of apologies are in store! You know how I said I'd update in a week last time? Well, yeah, that promise went down the dumps. You know how you always think that you'll get loads of free time when you have a vacation? Well, SURPRISE! It's the exact opposite. I've been bouncing between football practice and practice for a dumb music programme (which I don't even want to be a part of :P ) so much that I barely had time to write! But well, that is no excuse and yeah, I know that! XD**

** All said and done, this chapter was fun to write. It was quite hard, too. I hope you notice the line breaks; there are quite a few of them! Haha okay it's 2:45 A.M now, and I am completely out of Red Bull, so before my eyes begin to bleed, I'll let you read this long-ish chapter.. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 9 : A Familiar Feeling.

"Is that all? Boy, this is going to be one hell of a year!" Guvu complained, as the lions around him fought against each other with tired expressions on their faces. The Pride wasn't doing well on their first day of training. He hadn't expected them to be the perfect soldiers, but he wanted more. Scar had a whole army of hyenas. What did he have?

His small coalition had arrived. They were a group of five, strong lions, and Guvu had asked them to help train the other Pride members. He didn't like the Pride's attitude much; it was as if they weren't bothered at all by the impending threat. He could find only one word to do describe the general feeling in the Pride.

Lethargy.

He looked on as Malka rattled a lion almost twice his size with quick jabs to the face. Dodging the older lion's swipes with unwavering ease, he took a few steps back and growled. The old lion lunged forward, focusing all his force on his charge. Malka side-stepped him easily and looked on with a sly expression, as the old lion scrambled to his feet and stared at the young adolescent, completely bewildered.

"Age is not a factor here." Guvu's articulate voice rang through the crowd, as he walked up to Malka. "Malka, you have learned well, but what have I told you about over-confidence?"

Malka raised a brow. "Huh?" He was expecting praise.

No one saw the charge. Before Malka could blink, he felt a powerful body pin him to the ground effortlessly with a nearly unsheathed paw to his neck. Opening his eyes, he found Guvu's imperial form standing over him, facing the rest of the Pride.

"The hyena is a deceptive creature. I can give you my word that it will attack you first, so if you aren't on guard_ all_ the time, you will be nothing more than scavenger food. I have seen another lion around here who is your age, Malka, and you will train with him."

"Yes, sir," Malka replied nonchalantly, and walked back towards the other adolescents.

Guvu turned to the older lion. "You call that a fight?"

No answer.

Guvu growled. "Fight me."

The lion looked up, his eyes wide. "But –"

A roar from Guvu cut him off, and the lion leapt at the Warrior General. Guvu rolled back and in one thunderous motion, his paw sent the old lion reeling. Guvu walked up to the near unconscious lion and placed over paw over his neck. "Now listen here and listen good. A year from now, there is a good chance that you'll be _dead. _You, your mate, and your _cubs_. Your skeletons will be scattered all across the plains." His voice was loud enough for the entire group to hear. "If this ignorant attitude of yours persists, mark my words, you will not live long. There is still time. Pick yourself up and train. Fight. Fight for what is right. Fight for your Pride. Do you understand?"

The lion stared into Guvu's eyes and shuddered. He could be nice at times, but there was something cold, something terrifying about him. He tried to speak but he couldn't find his voice.

_"Do you understand?!"_

"Yes, sir!" His voice was unsteady, and he tried not to look up at Guvu. Guvu simply turned and walked away from the crowd, as a deafening silence filled the air. The lions stared at each other, brows raised. The murmuring erupted once Guvu was out of ear-shot.

"He's such a spoilsport!" Simba wasn't very loud, but there were some lions who could hear him rather easily.

"Oh, don't be such a wimp!" A cocky voice chided him. Arrogance personified, Malka walked past Simba with a know-it-all look on his face.

"Where do you think you're going?" Simba cocked his head. Malka was an interesting character to him.

"What does it matter to you?"

"Well, I was just wondering if I could join you, maybe?"

Malka raised an eyebrow. "_You_ want to join _me?"_

"Yeah. I don't really know you."

"Do you really want to know me?"

"Do you want me to want to know you?"

"Oh, shut up." Malka rolled his eyes, and wordlessly walked through the plains, Simba hot on his trail.

"So, Kopa," Malka finally broke the silence, "what do you do for fun here?"

"Oh not much, really. Everyone here is either grown up or a spoilt brat." Simba smirked.

"Takes one to know one." Malka grinned.

Simba looked away in annoyance, but he couldn't help but feel a little amused. Malka was fun; a word that had seemed foreign to him for quite a while. He saw a familiar gleam in Malka's eyes. A gleam he had longed for for months. A gleam of adventure.

"So, where are we going?" Simba questioned.

"I don't know."

"What?!"

Malka's only reply was a careless grin.

"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?" Simba repeated.

"What does a normal lion mean when he says he doesn't know!?"

"What makes you think you're anything close to normal?"

"Well, for starters, I don't hang around with a lioness twice my age!"

"Yeah, you're right. You hang out with a lion who may as well be your grandfather, and that's _perfectly _normal!"

Malka turned around to face Simba. "Hmm you do seem a lot less _dull_ than those other Grass landers. Maybe you could be a little more of a match to me than them," he remarked smugly.

"A match? Puh," Simba huffed. "You do you think you are?"

Malka held his head high and put out his chest. "I'm the great Warrior Malka! No one shall screw with me!"

Simba had a smug look on his face as he walked past his new weird friend. He had to admit, walking aimlessly through the savannah talking and arguing about the most trivial things was more fun than most other things he did. The verbal jabbing continued back and forth, as the two youngsters ventured further away from the Pride's waterhole.

"So Kopa, that other lioness cub has a crush on you, eh?"

"Yeah, Wivu," Simba said in an exasperated tone. "How did you know?" The look Malka gave him made it evident that the question was stupid.

"She is a tad cute, ya' know.."

"Yeah? Why don't you talk to her then?" Simba replied, a little hopeful.

"Are you kidding me? She's not my type. My mate will be _awesome_! She's just a pain in the back side!"

Simba smiled smugly. "She means well and she's really nice and all….but yeah, you're right."

"Of course I am," Malka replied with a grin.

Simba was about to say something when he noticed a slight, albeit evident change of expression on Malka's face. He was serious now, edgy, even. Malka stopped suddenly, and Simba turned to face him.

"What's wrong?"

"I…I'm not sure."

"This is just another one of your pranks, right?"

Malka was rock still, and the expression on his face told Simba otherwise. Malka took a couple of steps back. "Let's head back. It's starting to get late."

"Who's being the wimp now?" Simba remarked, and continued to walk on, till he too began to feel a little eerie. This was a different side to Malka, a cautious side.

It was then that Simba caught whiff of something. Something was different. The winds weren't the same anymore. There was a scent, a scent that was rather difficult to pick up.

"Let's keep walking," Malka said, a determined look suddenly set on his face.

"What in the world is that?" Simba whispered.

"I…I don't know. But I'm sure as hell going to find out."

The young adolescents walked toward a large expanse of grass, where a herd of Thomson's Gazelle were grazing in the distance.

Malka extended a paw pushing Simba back.

"Smell that?" Malka asked, looking to Simba.

"Yeah. It's Gazelle. What's so _dangerous_ about Gazelle?"

"No, you dimwit. There's something else there."

Simba sniffed the air hard. Malka was right. Something was amiss. There was a different scent in the air; a familiar scent, a carnivorous scent.

"Lions.." Simba gasped, as realization finally hit him.

Malka nodded, as the two youngsters stooped low into the grass, looking on and waiting for someone to make a move. A few minutes of silence passed, before Malka spoke.

"What could these lions be thinking? Do they really think they can catch a –"

Malka was cut off by a massive roar, as a beige, seemingly strong lioness powered through the grass, sending dust and loose pieces of gravel flying in every direction. Alarmed, the gazelle scattered in haphazard fashion, leaving an old member of the herd isolated and completelyvulnerable. _ Perfect._

"There's no way she'll be fast enough –"

Malka wasn't cut off this time. He stopped talking himself, and simply stared in stunned silence. The lioness was _fast._ Faster than any he had ever seen; so fast, in fact, that the Gazelle was having some trouble distancing itself from the speeding monster. As the lioness started to speed up even further, two silent observers were left gaping.

All of a sudden, another lioness shot out of the grass and crashed into the Gazelle with pointed precision. The hunt was over in less than a minute. Two victorious lionesses stood over their dinner.

"How…what… No way!" Malka normally had a way with words, but now, he was a dizzy, rambling heap of confusion and shock.

"That was breathtaking!" Simba was slightly less shocked. This whole situation was definitely familiar, and a sense of déjà vu swept over him. He had seen the exact same thing before, when his mother had taken him out to watch their hunts. The ambush tactic was also the exactly the same as the one his mother and his aunt would use to bring down small and mid-sized prey; he had also heard that this was a technique which was unique to the Pride Lands. As the all too familiar sense of regret began to take control of his emotions, Simba shook his head, pushing his thoughts away. When he had company, it was possible to ignore the burning sense of guilt that plagued him. It was only when he was alone that the thought gave him an unbearable migraine.

"Let's go find out who they are," Malka remarked, regaining his confident composure.

"Are you crazy?! Did you not see what they just did? Do you want to be their dessert?" Simba was a little less enthusiastic.

"Oh come on, Kopa. As long as you keep that trap of yours shut, we'll be fine!"

Simba scoffed, but didn't say anything in reply. There was something about this situation he didn't like. As they went further and the scents of the lioness duo got stronger, Simba found himself reminiscing. There was definitely something off here.

_"My word, Sarabi! He's adorable! Aren't you, my little Simba?" An adult lioness nudged the lion prince with her nose._

They stood a hundred feet away from the lionesses. Simba stopped when his friend did, both contemplating their next move. Malka stood in apprehension, while Simba still couldn't shake the long forgotten memories out of his head.

_"Your mommy and I will always be there for you, sweetheart. Say, Sarabi, should we take him on our hunt today?"_

The brown, smaller lioness noticed the two adolescents, and her eyes widened. She beckoned for the other lioness to follow her line of sight. The large, beige lioness turned around to look straight into two nervous faces.

_"Good morning, your Majesty. How is my little nephew doing today?"_

Simba paled, the colour rapidly gushing out of his face. Shaking his head, he stared once again at the lioness before him, trying to convince himself that he was either seeing things or that it was simply a case of mistaken identity. Malka's expression told him that the former was not true, and deep down, he knew that the latter wasn't, either. All four felines stood staring at one another in silence, unsure how to react. None had expected such a situation to arise. For Simba, this was all too much to take. Trembling with uncertainty, he turned to Malka, who seemed as undecided as Simba himself.

With one fleeting glance at Hasira, Sabini hauled the dead Gazelle on her back, racing into the undergrowth with dizzying speed. Hasira ran after her, occasionally looking back to make sure they weren't being followed.

"Phew, that was close!" Malka sighed in relief. "We must have scared the crap out of 'em! Kopa, we make a good team! That was so cool!"

Simba nodded half-heartedly, his heart beating ever so fast. He had been trying desperately to rid himself of the past, and a large chunk of it had come straight back to him. But why? Why was his aunt here? Why was she away from her home? Dozens of questions bombarded Simba's mind, relentlessly nibbling away at his conscience.

"Let's go back. I need…water," Simba managed to say.

"All right, _princess. _Come on," Malka beckoned for his new friend to follow, as the duo walked back to the Pride; lingering thoughts and a one-sided conversation keeping them busy.

* * *

"Who do you think they were?"

"Probably some lions from Bahati's Pride," Sabini replied.

"Yes. They were too young to be rogues out on their own like that."

"We can't really afford to be seen next time. We want to remain conspicuous, and I don't think today helped much."

"And whose fault is that?" Hasira snapped. "If it wasn't for you and your _brilliant_ idea to go into their land, no one would know of us."

"Hey! Nafsi and I just wanted some Gazelle for a change. What is with you these days, Hasira?"

"Just…leave me alone," Hasira said, running past Sabini and toward their hideout. Sabini rolled her eyes. Hasira's attitude was changing for the worse.

The walk back to the caves was a short one.

"Mom! Can we eat now!"

"Yes Chumvi, wait for them to get back."

"But Mom!"

Sabini chuckled at the voices nearby. She loved kids, and ever since her nephew had disappeared, Chumvi was the sole victim of all her pampering.

"Hello, Nafsi," Sabini greeted her friend with a warm smile, and Nafsi returned the favour. The group sat down to have their fill.

"Where is Hasira?" Nafsi enquired.

"I'm surprised you even care." Hasira walked to her portion of the kill and began to chew at it, neglecting the stares two annoyed lionesses and one confused adolescent were giving her.

"Hasira, you need to stop this now. You know you can't change anything. Let go of the past, Hasira."

Hasira refused to even acknowledge Nafsi's attempt to advise her, and continued to eat her fill. As the evening wore on, Sabini related the day's events to a concerned Nafsi and a thoroughly excited Chumvi.

"Why were they on the border?" Nafsi enquired.

"That's so cool! Can I go meet them?! Maybe they're my age. Maybe they like tag! Maybe –" Chumvi stopped his enthusiastic suggestions when he noticed his mother giving him a stern glare. He knew exactly what that meant.

"What did you do, Sabini?"

"Well, we ran for it." Sabini looked to the ground, thinking hard. This aroused Nafsi's curiosity.

"What is it, Sabini?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." Sabini smiled.

"It's something serious, isn't it?"

"No, Nafsi, not at all. It isn't important. It's just….it's just that one of those lions we saw. He looked exactly like a younger version of Mufasa."

Sabini was on the verge of adding more to her opinion, but a deep, low growl told her that she had already made a mistake. The two lionesses turned to look at Hasira, who was none too happy at the deceased King's mention.

"Why, Sabini? What have I ever done to you? Keep his name out of your filthy, royal mouth!" Hasira stormed past the group and walked off into the night, leaving two stunned lionesses behind.

* * *

Two pairs of eyes watched the scene unfold with utmost curiosity. This was something they could use.

"Interesting," Spotty remarked, a smirk forming on her face and an idea in her head.

"So, Scar indeed _was_ right about her. That is something we can exploit. We should go after her, shouldn't we?" Dotty questioned.

Spotty simply walked in the direction Hasira had left, her sister close behind.

* * *

"Stupid fools. They don't get it. They will never understand. And Sabini…urrghh! She is becoming more like that useless waste of a sister she has!" Mumbling to herself, Hasira paced back and forth at the edge of a small waterhole. "One day….one day I will show them all the meaning of true pain!"

"Oh, I'm sure you will, dear."

The sudden voice startled Hasira, and she stepped back, almost falling into the waterhole. She could make out the forms of two lionesses, their faces twisted into crooked smiles.

"Who….who are you?"

Spotty was sly as can be. "Oh, let's talk about us later. The question is, who are you?"

Hasira growled. This was too close for comfort. "Stay away from me, or I will rip your brains out!"

"Ah, aggression," Dotty chuckled. "That's such a wonderful trait, isn't it?"

"What do you want?" Hasira snapped.

"All right then. We'll get straight to it. We want an alliance."

"What?"

"Do you want to go back home, Hasira?"

"Home is where the heart is!"

"And where is your heart?"

"I have no heart left!"

"So you have no home, either. We are giving you one, Hasira. Join us. Come back to the Pride Lands."

Hasira gaped. "So you…you work for…"

"Scar."

"Why would I want to live in his kingdom?!"

"Because you have to admit that it makes perfect sense, Hasira. You are now a nomad. A rogue. And anything, _anything_ is better than that. With your beauty and charm, you will be treated like a queen! Who knows!?" Spotty winked. "Who might even become the queen. Yes, dear. Queen of the Pride Lands. Such a prestigious title! Isn't that all you have ever wanted in life, Hasira?"

Hasira stood in perfect silence. What Spotty had said was true, to a large extent. But was she determined enough to betray her own Pride? Hasira was in two minds.

"Food for thought, Hasira. Food for thought. It is clear that you need time, and time is what you will get. Think about it. Zira will be here in a few days. When she arrives, we will send word. It is then that you can let us know of your decision."

Hasira stood watching, as the two twins disappeared into the darkness as quickly as they had arrived. Was it all worth it? Could she muster the courage it took to go against her Pride? Did she really care for them?

'_Did they really care for her?'_

Hasira's thoughts blackened, an unfamiliar darkness filled her eyes, removing every shred of doubt. '_Had they ever cared for her?'_ She had nothing to lose now; she had already lost enough. She had suffered enough. She was tired of helping her Pride and suffering for them quietly in the shadows. She wanted to be noticed. She wanted to be acknowledged. She wanted to be revered and respected; she wanted her own legacy. She wanted to be _queen._

Hasira had made her decision.

* * *

**Author's note: Well, honestly, the sadistic side of me loves writing for Hasira.. Muahaha! **

** Okay, then. I hope this chapter makes you less pissed with me for keeping ya'll waiting so very long. :P How did you like it? There is one thing that I've been meaning to ask.. Is Hasira getting enough development as a character? Can you relate to her? Or do you want to see more of what goes on in that weird brain of hers? Do let me know!**

**I know that I've kinda neglected a couple of characters here and I always try to give all of them equal development, but well, what can ya' do! I'll give it a shot anyway. What do you think of Malka as a character? Hehe I guess that's enough questions from my side, haha! And yeah, too much Red Bull can do this to you.. :P Well, me, at least.. The nice chapter will be up on…. No! No more promises! :P I will try to update as soon as possible, though.. Leave a review! Ciao! :D**


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